Moony, Wormtail, Bird, Padfoot, and Prongs
by battyjester
Summary: My take on 'what would happen if there was a girl in the Marauders' Alchemy Avon is a tomboy, stubborn, loud, a little bit crazy, but most importantly, she's a marauder. This is their fifth year, and here's all the crazy shenanigans they get up to. I suck at summaries-rated M only because it's a bunch of teenagers
1. Chapter 1:Bird

AN: Hey, guys! This is my first ever fanfiction either written or published, so please be kind! This is going to be a long story, but it's all already written, so it should update regularly.

Please feel free to review-I'm always looking to improve! ^_^

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"Bird!" I heard a deep voice yell. No way. Sirius Black was not in Muggle London. And even if he was, how would he have found me in a tiny, out-of-the-way bookshop?

"Al!" I heard the voice yell. Damn. It was him.

I grinned and turned around only to be caught up in a giant bear hug by a guy way taller and broader than me.

"What are you doing here, Sirius?" I asked, pushing his shaggy black hair out of his face.

He didn't answer me, instead, his silver-gray eyes were fixed on the book in my hands. " _Fantastic Mr. Fox_?" he asked, taking the book from my hands.

"I like the author," I said defensively, pointing at my two favourite books by Roald Dahl on the shelf next to us.

He scooped the other two books up and carried them all to the counter.

"Sirius, what are you doing? You don't need to get those for me. Do you even have any muggle money?" I asked as I tried to grab the books from him.

"Yes I do, actually. Me and Prongs met Evans for ice cream near her place, and Prongs didn't want to make her treat us." He held the books overhead, well out of my reach.

"Still, I've read two of those, and I can read the other over break!"

"Why would you do that when you own it?" Sirius asked, handing the cashier a few notes.

The boys loved to spoil me. Especially Sirius and James, who have the most money to do so.

"Thank you," I said with a small smile as he handed me the books, "Now where's whoever you came with?"

"I came by myself; I don't need a keeper. I'm here to bring you to the Potters'. There's a fireplace connected to the floo just a bit farther."

"How did you even find me?"

"Donnie said you were doing some muggle shopping before it was time to go back, and Liam said you always come by that bookshop."

I bumped his shoulder, "Why're you forever harassing my family? You better not have stolen any of Mum's treats."

"I had seven biscuits and a mini tart," he said with a wolfish grin.

"Pig," I teased as I open the door to the small shop. Sirius asked if we could use the floo, and the man at the counter nodded at a jar on the mantle.

"Ladies first," Sirius said with a mock bow.

I slapped his head as I walked by and laughed at his indignant face before releasing the powder and saying, "Potter Manor!"

I stepped out into a bright, elegant living room decorated in yellows and oranges. It was a cheery room.

 _I always did like Euphemia's style_ I thought as I heard Sirius step out of the fireplace. I turned to ask him where the others were. But he scooped me up and threw me on his shoulder, making me drop my bags. I shrieked and laughed, hitting his back as he carried my upstairs to James's room. He threw open the door and tossed me on the bed, barking out a laugh as a chubby body flung himself on my stomach.

"Oof!" I exclaimed as the wind was knocked out of me.

"Al! I'm so happy you're here!" Peter exclaimed.

"Peter, perhaps you should let Al breathe," I heard Remus trying not to laugh.

Peter scurried off me and I sucked in a huge breath and fixed my glasses before hugging him and ruffling his blond hair. "I'm glad to see you too, Pete," Remus sat beside us and I hugged him too, "And the rose amongst the thorns!" I laughed.

"I believe that's supposed to be you, Al. You are the only girl in the room," Remus said dryly.

"Nonsense," James laughed, "Al never acts like a girl!"

"She is the one wearing a dress," Remus pointed out.

"She'll still sit cross-legged and won't care though," Sirius pointed out.

I laughed as they argued and sat in James's lap to hug him. He had been sitting sideways in his desk chair.

We had been catching up when James's mum knocked on the door and came in levitating a tray of snacks. She was a pretty lady with soft, dirty blond hair piled up in a fancy bun and James's cheery hazel eyes, framed by soft wrinkles that could only have come from years and years of laughter.

"Alchemy, a young lady shouldn't sit in young men's laps like that! You might give them the wrong impression."

I laughed but got up anyway, taking the tray and setting it on the desk. "Really, Euphemia, can't you call me Al?"

"'Al' is no name for a beautiful young lady. Have fun dears," and with that she swept out of the room, her floral skirt swishing around her ankles.

I took a biscuit and settled between Peter and Remus on the bed. Sirius turned back from closing the door and frowned. "Where am I supposed to sit?" I giggled and pointed at James. Sirius shrugged and sat in James's lap, giving him a big sloppy kiss on the cheek, much to James's horror.

I was nibbling on another biscuit when Remus asked, "How has it been with Carter?"

I swallowed, "Pretty good. Mum's finalizing the divorce."

"The wanker hasn't come around lately?" James asked.

"Nope. Haven't seen him since he got his stuff just after break started." I rubbed my shoulder gently. "It's pretty bad for Liam. He's still young enough that he doesn't completely understand," Remus squeezed my hand, "but he saw how Carter treated me. He never understood that 'cause I'm like family to him and Mum, but Carter wouldn't let me call him 'Dad'. Now Peter wrapped an arm around my waist. I was silent for a moment then I smiled and popped up, "But that's all over now."

Sirius stood with me and grabbed the shoulder I had been rubbing before I could dodge him. I hissed involuntarily. He pushed my short sleeve up to show and angry, purple bruise that stood out in sharp relief against my pale skin. "I thought he hadn't been around in months," Sirius glared at me, gray eyes flashing silver.

I looked down, "I didn't want you deciding that you needed to do something drastic."

"Bloody hell, Al, we should've done something a long time ago!"

"It's not worth you getting in trouble over. He just stopped by yesterday to try to talk Mum out of it again, but she and Liam were shopping for dinner. I was home reviewing our supply list, and I told him Mum didn't want to hear it. He slammed me into her pie safe and told me it was all my fault, I was a freak, and Donnie wasn't my mum, so I had no right to call her that. He said he shouldn't have let Mum take me home, or he should've smothered me when I was a baby. Nothing he hasn't said or done before." I said, angrily meeting Sirius's eyes.

I was wrapped in his strong arms. "Why would you lie to us?" he growled into my hair. I pressed my hand on his hip where he had a nasty scar from his own father.

"I can deal with it alone."

Sirius barked a bitter laugh. There were a few minutes of awkward silence then Remus suggested, "Why don't we go flying?"

I grinned at him gratefully. He knew I didn't like being sad to the point where it made me physically uncomfortable.

"What about Al?" Peter asked pointing at my clothes, "She can't fly in that dress."

James threw an arm around my shoulders, "Peter, you should really have figured out that Al will do anything people say she can't."

"Or shouldn't," Sirius added.


	2. Chapter 2: A Day in the Life of

I got to the broom shed first and started handing out brooms. Peter, the worst flier, got the slowest and oldest broom, Sirius got the most finicky (he could handle it, and the broom was fast and sturdy), Remus got a solid one that flew at a good pace but had bad maneuverability, James got his own of course, and I kept the one that wasn't very sturdy but was very fast.

James and Sirius took off as soon as I handed them brooms, but Remus and I helped Peter take off first. Once he was in the air, I took off and zoomed to catch up with my quidditch teammates. Sirius veered to the side, evidently planning to crash into me. I laughed and rolled through the air, cutting slightly down to avoid him, then arching up and over to loop him. When I was upside down I noticed Peter struggling. I fell into pace next to him.

"Pete, quit looking down," I told him to no avail. I whipped my broom around so I was in front of him, flying backwards. "Look at me."

He looked up into my eyes and I waggled my eyebrows and stuck my tongue out at him. His chubby cheeks split into a smile just as Remus flew up, mouth open, looking behind me.

Suddenly, my back crashed into something solid. My broom shuddered and almost dumped me when a strong arm circled me. I twisted my head to glare at James. He had set his broom perpendicular to the path mine had been taking. I dropped the nose of my broom into a dive, laughing as James scrabbled not to fall.

We joked and flew until the sky started to turn pink. Remus and Peter gladly landed first, but James, Sirius, and I pulled off a few more complex maneuvers before touching down. As usual, we tried to show each other up in out landings. James slid off his broom while it was in the air so he was hanging by his hands then dropped a couple metres to the ground, his broom sidling down to his side. Sirius aimed his broom at James then dove off, rolling to his feet as James had to dodge the broom. Not wanting to get my orange dress more dirty I hopped up onto my broom so I was standing on it as I circled them (not an easy feat in go-go boots) before stepping easily off onto the grass.

"Sirius's was the best," Peter decided.

"Al had the most style though," Remus added.

"Ha, we both beat you, Prongsie," I laughed.

"Shut it, Bird."

"Don't call me that!"

I chased James inside and hit him when I caught him. We all drank some lemonade, but then we all had to go. I was the first to head out. I hugged all the boys, especially Sirius since he wanted to go home the least.

"We're meeting at Flourish and Blots tomorrow to get our supplies, right?" Peter asked as I scooped up floo powder.

"Yup, at one," I waved one last time, "Avon House!"

I stepped out into our cluttered living room. The couches were covered in knitted multi-coloured blankets and kid's games littered the floor. My own drawings and pictures of me and Liam growing up almost hid the floral wallpaper.

"There's no place like home," I said to myself as I slipped out of my boots.

"Alchemy, is that you dear? Come to the kitchen, it's dinner time."

I pushed my sweaty hair out of my face and followed her voice. Mum was beautiful, but I don't look anything like her, not that anyone would expect me to. She was tall and willowy with pretty blue eyes, tan skin, and long, straight black hair. Liam looked just like an eleven year old boy version of Mum, and I was the odd one out with my short curly red hair, short sturdy frame, pale skin, and green eyes behind thick frames.

"Alchemy, you look a mess, what were you doing with those boys?" Mum demanded as she handed me a plate.

"We went flying, Mum."

"You can do that?" Liam asked wide-eyed. He was still figuring out all the stuff I could do.

"On brooms, dork," I said, bumping him playfully as I reached for the potatoes.

"I still don't understand how that's safe for children," Mum fretted. She tried really hard to understand all my wizarding things. It wasn't easy for her; when Donnie Avon decided to adopt a baby girl, she never expected it to come with a whole world she knew nothing about. Mum did really well though: she got an owl so she could write me at school, she had the house connected to the floo network, and she even shopped for my presents in Diagon Ally sometimes. Plus she was always interested in what I was doing even if she didn't understand it all the way.

"Especially being a bleater!" Liam added.

I laughed, "Me and Sirius are _beaters_ , Liam. As in, we _beat_ the bludgers so they don't hit our teammates. Plus, I have a club, so I'm better defended from the bludgers than everyone else."

"I suppose…" Mum said, still fretting.

"Don't worry, Mum, Al's the toughest person in the whole wide world!" Liam said, throwing his arms around me. I had to force myself not to flinch or grimace as he grabbed my hurt shoulder by accident. I smiled, Liam was the one kid I could always count on to cheer me up.

After dinner, I read to Liam. He loved the way I did the voices, and I wouldn't be able to read to him after the first. I read _Fantastic Mr. Fox_ to him until I realized he'd fallen asleep. He was skinny, so I gently lifted him up and carried him to bed.

"He really looks up to you," Mum said as I settled back onto the couch.

"I'm only four years older than him," I said.

"Four years is a lot to an eleven year old."

I shrugged, then jumped as the wind shook the house. "I get free access to my Gringots vault when I'm of age. When I do, I'll help you rebuild the house."

"You'll do no such thing," Mum didn't look up from her knitting. "That's money for you to live off of when you're a full-fledged witch."

"It's more than I'd ever need, Mum. I'm the sole survivor of the Sabine fortune, a pure-blood family dating back as far as any family known. I'll have more than enough to help you rebuild. Plus," I added, seeing she was going to protest further, "You took me in when you knew you weren't financially ready for children. I owe you."

Mum hesitated, "Well alright then, but you'll only help—no paying for everything mind."

I kissed her on the cheek, "Wouldn't dream of it, Mum."


	3. Chapter 3: Of Lasagna and Lectures

The next morning I got up early and headed into the kitchen. The boys might spoil me in buying me things, but I spoiled them when it came to food. I made a batch of lasagna roll ups, cheesy garlic rolls, and salad and packed them in a lunchbox Mum had got me that kept food it's intended temperature. Then I made mini tarts, one batch of chocolate caramel, for those of us that wanted extra sweetness, and blueberry cheese, for those who didn't.

I was the first on there, but James and Sirius were a close second. Both of them descended like vultures when they saw my bag.

"Come on, Al, what'd you make us?" Sirius asked as James tried to grab the bag. Both of them towered over me, so I had to keep it close to my body as I tried to dodge their greedy hands. Luckily, Remus showed up to help me. I gently tossed it to him. Remus was the only one in our group that broke 800 cm, so he was better equipped at keeping the goodies out of our friends grip.

Peter arrived just as Sirius was lifting James to try and reach my bag.

"Ok, you pigs, Peter's here! We can eat!"

We claimed a small table set nearby and I unwrapped our feast. Everyone dug in messily, except Princess Moony. Of course, he was the first to finish—he didn't eat as much so he'd have more room for dessert. Moony had the chocolate caramel tarts, Peter and James had the blueberry cheese ones, and Sirius and I had both.

"Oi, Pads, hand over that tart, you've had three already, mate!"

"But, Prongsie, I had two chocolate caramels and one blueberry cheese. I need to balance it out."

"I've only had one tart!"

"Shoulda got them quicker then, eh?"

Sirius had the tart held out away from James, so, as he was looking away, I leaned over and took a huge bite.

"Al!"

"Shoulda eaten it quicker then, eh?" I said, mimicking his joking carefree voice. James and Remus roared with laughter at Sirius's crestfallen face. "Come on, let's get our stuff."

"But I wanted another tart," James whined.

"You know, I think I heard Lily was going to be doing her shopping today," I said in mock thoughtfulness.

James sprung out of his chair with a clatter, "Well, we really ought to get shopping!"

I winked at Remus, "Gets him every time."

I'm glad we did run into Lily though. James was so excited looking for her everywhere we went, and he would've been sad if we hadn't run into her. Luckily, we saw her before we headed to Zonko's. She would've fussed if she saw her fellow prefect buying dung bombs and the like.

"Ally!" she called, running up to hug me.

"Lils, it's great to see you! I heard Sirius and James went with you for ice cream."

"Potter tricked me. He said he'd bring a chaperone, which would normally be you, but it was Black instead. I only agreed because I didn't see you at all over break."

"Oh you'll see me plenty, we're in the same room come Friday. Besides, you've got to get used to hanging with James, you're both friends of mine and Remus."

"I'll never understand how he got to be friends with sensible people like you two!"

"Evans, he's right here, you know," Sirius said, pointing at a dejected James.

"I know," she said primly, "Al, I'll see you on the train or at the feast; I've got to head out."

And with a hug for me and a smile for Remus and Peter she was gone. James looked like a wilted flower, so Sirius threw an arm around his shoulder, "Just learn from me, Prongs. I'm never lacking for a date!"

"Yes, but you've never gone for a specific one," Remus clarified, "You go after anything with a skirt."

I snorted, "I'm surprised he limits himself to that sometimes. James, trust me, Lily's my friend. Whatever you do, don't act like Sirius if you ever want to get in her pants. She'll hex you in a heartbeat."

"Once I asked Lily what you'd have to do to date her," Peter mused.

"Peter, you never told me that! What'd she say, mate?"

Pete looked at James with big solemn eyes and said, "She said stop being an arrogant toerag."

We roared with laughter; Remus almost fell down he was laughing so hard. Sirius slapped James on the back, "Cheer up, mate, you'll annoy her into saying yes one of these days."

After we went to Zonko's, our back to school shopping was completed, so we got ice cream. Then, the boys decided to tag along with me. "Just remember if you swear in front of Liam, Mum will beat you black and blue."

"Mum," I called stepping out of the fireplace, "I'm home. The vultures tagged along. Peter and Remus too." Liam giggled as James and Sirius started protesting.

"Come on, Liam, you know me and Sirius aren't vultures don't ya?"

"I dunno, Al's pretty smart, and she says you are," Liam quipped.

I flopped next to my brother, "Good job, Liam." I hugged him with one arm.

"Come on, Liam," Sirius sat on the other side and started tickling my brother, "Come on, say it—say we're not vultures."

"Ally! Save me" Liam screeched in between giggles.

I launched over Liam with a laugh, tackling Sirius to the ground, catching him where his ribs ended, his ticklish spot. "Prongs!"

James came to his friend's rescue, picking me up by my waist while Sirius went back to tickling Liam. I squirmed, kicking my feet until I slid out of his grip. I launched myself onto Sirius and found his ticklish spot again. He squirmed under me before he remembered I was extremely ticklish and attacked me back. I squealed, but refused to stop my assault.

"Alchemy Zion Avon what are you doing?! And in front of your brother no less!"

"Wha—Mum, no!" I hadn't thought about how our position appeared. Thank Merlin I wore jeans today, but I was still practically straddling Sirius with my hands pressing into his chest and his hands wrapped around me. "Mum, we were in a tickle fight!"

"Alchemy, you have got to start acting like a young lady!" I slid off Sirius and stood with my head down.

"Yes, Mum," I whispered. Everyone seemed to be fixated on making me behave like a lady, but it was hard when your closest friends were guys that tended to forget there was a gender difference.

"It was my fault, Donnie," Sirius said, standing and turning on the charm. "I started the tickle fight, and I should've thought about how she acts when she's tickled."

"Well, both of you need to think before you act then. Alchemy, can you get the boys some tea and biscuits?"

"Yeah, Mum," I did as she asked, bringing out earl gray tea and chocolate biscuits and setting them on our cluttered table. I chose to sit at the end of the couch next to Liam. Mum and Liam chatted with the guys until Remus said he had to get going and the others agreed. I hugged them all quickly as they stepped into the fireplace one by one.

"Sorry, Bird," Sirius muttered gruffly into my hair.

"Not your fault, Pads," I said with a small smile.

After a short lecture on behaving like a lady, we had dinner quietly then, we went back into the living room. Mum knitted, and Liam and I finished our book. I didn't feel like sitting up late with Mum, so I told her I was tired and went to bed at the same time as Liam.


	4. Chapter 4: Bitch Baby

A few days later, I stood with Mum and Liam on Platform 9 ¾. Liam pushed my heavy trunk while I cradled my cat, Gnatali, in her carrier. She growled moodily. "I'll let you out on the train," I muttered to her as I settled her on my trolley. I hugged Mum and Liam and kissed each on the cheek. "I'll write loads, and I'll be back for Christmas."

"Stay safe, Alchemy," Mum said, squeezing my hand.

"Never," I joked, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Send home some cauldron cakes, Al," Liam said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"See ya, squirt," I ruffled his hair and took my trolley, "Find a good book for us to read over break."

I saw Peter being waved off by a mousy woman and waved at him. He told me he saw Remus boarding the train, so we clambered up. We found him and flopped down. I glanced out the window and saw Sirius and Regulus awkwardly standing together. As they turned toward the train, I banged on the window hard enough to make Peter jump. Both Black brothers looked over. Regulus rolled his eyes, but Sirius's face broke into a broad grin, and he loped towards the train. Moment later he was flinging himself next to me.

"Finally, nearly a year away from them ahead of me!"

"You'll be coming to my house for Christmas then?" James said, stowing his luggage.

"Of course, mate! Just let them try to stop me!"

James sat on the other side of Sirius, and I stood. "I'm going to go ahead and pull on my robes," I told them. I was the only one not already in them.

"Alright, go ahead, Bird," James teased, stretching out his legs to block my path to the door.

"I would," I said climbing over him, "but it's crowded in here, I wouldn't have room."

Moments later, when I returned, Sirius and James were trying to throw Bertie Bots into Peter's open mouth and laughing when he got a nasty flavour. I opened my mouth and caught one Sirius threw me and hummed in approval. "Sour apple."

The train lurched forward, and we started a game of exploding snaps, minus Remus, who said he had a prefect meeting. Right as James started boasting his victory, Remus stepped in followed by Lily. "Evens!" James said, "Here to celebrate my victory?"

"Of course not, Potter. Ally, can I talk to you?"

"Sure thing," I slid out of my seat, placing Gnat on Sirius, and trying to avoid braining anyone with my wide hips and big arse.

"Shake it, Bird!" Sirius said, slapping my backside.

"Sirius! Don't make me give you a detention before we even get to the castle!" Lily exclaimed, mortified.

I held up a subtle hand to Sirius to tell him I'd handle it. "Lily, for him I may as well be another bloke. He's known me since we were kids after all. To tell the truth, he does the same thing to James, Remus, and Peter."

"I don't do it to Peter!" Sirius protested, "He freaks out and gets all flustered."

Lily rolled her eyes, but seemed to accept my explanation. We stood in the hall and Lily fixed me with a stare, "I want you to keep the boys from picking on Sev."

I fiddled with an earring. I didn't like Snape, but I did have to admit that James and Sirius took it too far. "Best I can do is pull a Remus. I'll try to keep the pranks fewer and lighter, but that's all. And all bets are off if Snape antagonizes us."

"Ally, come on! Can't you help me out?"

"Lily, they wouldn't listen. Plus, frankly, I don't really like him. I'm only willing to tame the pranks because you're my friend."

She sighed, "Well thank you I, suppose. But really, he's not as bad as people think."

"To be fair, after befriending James and the others, I doubt he'd let me see that side of him you get to see."

She sighed again, "True enough. Well, I've got to be on my rounds. Talk to you at the castle."

"Were you talking about me?" James demanded when I opened the door.

"No, contrary to what be your belief must be, we talk about more than just you," I ruffled his messy hair as I climbed over him.

"Hey it took me forever to get my hair to look like that!"

The trolley lady came by and Sirius and James bought nearly all the chocolate she had. Remus immediately claimed a good portion, and I followed suit, leaving the rest to divvy it out however they wanted. By the time we got to the castle, I had eaten most of my stash and was growing increasingly hyper.

I bounded off the train and into the Thestral drawn carriage. When it stopped, I leaped out, calling, "Race you!" to the others. I had the advantage, but I needed it, Sirius, and James were powerfully built from quidditch and Remus had a bit of a wolf's raw power tucked inside him. I was sturdily built, but my real advantage was my size. I was much better equipped to weave through the crowds of people while the boys had to push more. Still, I only tagged the front doors moments before James.

Sirius and Remus jogged up next to us, and we caught our breath as we waited for Peter. Regulus walked by with Snape and some other Slytherins and sneered at us. I stuck my tongue out at him. Sirius started laughing uncontrollably. When we questioned him he said, "Relatively powerful dark wizards in training, probably to follow Voldemort, and you stick your tongue out at them." We were still laughing when Peter came panting next to us. I let Remus lead the way inside; it was easier to follow tall people in crowds.

He led us to our usual seats. We were just a little ways up from the girls in my dorm: Lily, Marlene, Alice, and Mary. I saw Lily waving to Snape and the other girls frown—they didn't like him any more than I did. James was frowning too, and we spent the whole time waiting for the first years planning the first Snape prank. True to my promise to Lily, I suggested we start subtle.

"Here me out, dearies: we cast a spell that gives him a headache every time someone calls him 'Severus' or 'Sev'."

"That sounds boring," Sirius complained.

"James, who calls Snivillus by his first name or that certain nickname?"

James frowned, "Regulus and death eater wannabes, a couple teachers, and _Lily_ ," he said with sudden realization.

I nodded, "Every time your little Lily-flower calls him, his ears will ring just enough to give him a small headache, and he'll never figure it out. It'll drive him crazy!"

"I like it!" Sirius decided, "At least as a start."

"How will we cast it though?" Peter asked.

"How about Al distracts him?" Remus asked. By the look in his eye, I knew he understood what Lily asked.

"I'm game. I'll cast some obvious jinx or hex, so he won't notice being hit with the other spell."

As plans were finalized, the first years started filing in. They were the same age as Liam, but they were so tiny, and their childish faces were lit up with awe and wonder. Many were craning their necks to see the sky or the floating candles that were common place to me by now.

"They look so dorky," I laughed, "Please tell me we didn't look that stupid."

"As I recall, I looked quite studly," Sirius boasted.

"You and James were trying to trip each other up," I reminded him. "You looked stupid, just not in the same way."

"Peter looked like he was going to have a heart attack," James said.

"Probably over stimulated," Remus teased. "Al, I think you were just playing with your jewelry and trying not to gawk at everything."

"So Remus was the only normal looking one."

The sorting hat began its song:

 _Some hats are made to be pretty,_

 _But I was made to be witty!_

 _You can chose many things to be,_

 _You can chose who you want to be!_

 _Calm or wild, sweet or sour, lover or fighter, serious or fun,_

 _But of the things you chose your house is not one._

 _Do not worry, do not grouse,_

 _Whatever happens, know you're in the right house._

 _The daring, the strong, the brave,_

 _The ones that adventure they do crave,_

 _They go to Gryffindor!_

 _The loyal, the just, the true,_

 _The ones who will always do what they can to protect you,_

 _They go to Hufflepuff!_

 _The smart, the clever, the wise,_

 _The ones who are brilliant in spotting logical lies,_

 _They go to Ravenclaw!_

 _The cunning, the ambitious, the shrewd,_

 _The ones who are not afraid to be blunt or rude,_

 _They go to Slytherin!_

 _So come now, let me see,_

 _Who you are and where you'll be!_

I applauded the hat with everyone else. McGonagall started calling out names and petrified kids stepped forward one by one. One kid I kept my eye on. He looked a little like Liam. He stepped forward and was promptly sorted into Slytherin. I have nothing against the house. Some of them are actually not bad company. Unfortunately, the ones who are less than pleasant tend to solicit younger students over to their side.

The sorting went well, but then came the better part: the feast. I was so excited, I barely listened to the headmaster's commencement speech; I couldn't wait to eat. The first years hesitated until they saw the rest of us digging in. Actually, a few of them gawked at how much me and Sirius were digging in. All five of us ate a lot, but Remus was neat about it, James took several small plates of food, and Peter hunched over his food, so he wasn't as overt. Sirius and I, on the other hand, piled our plates high and ate fast while talking loudly.

I got full early and talked while I let my food digest before dessert, however, my appetite was ruined when I heard a loud pompous voice coming from the Slytherin table.

"Just don't betray your house. Blood is strong, but blood traitors still exist, even from the best of families. They fall from grace like the muggles' Lucifer falling from God's grace. They're disgusting disappointments." I recognized the voice as Regulus's, and, by the look on his face, Sirius recognized it too. I doubted Regulus really hated Sirius, but it's easy to get carried away when talking to friends. I turned and saw that cursed boy that looked too much like his kind big brother talking to the little kid that looked like Liam, and that kid looked up to him with big round eyes that radiated respect and idealization. He probably thought Regulus was smart or worldly for knowing about muggle religion.

I lost it. Sirius's entire family minus a few black sheep treated him like crap, and it didn't bother him a bit, but his little brother was the only one he'd ever loved. I stood up, ignoring my friends' questions and Sirius's protests. I flicked my hair away from my face in agitation and stalked to the Slytherin table and swung a leg over the bench, straddling it in front of Regulus and facing the boy.

"What Regulus isn't telling you is blood is only important to some. Some people care more about what a person does with their life. I think the Christian analogy doesn't even work right for Regulus. It'd be more accurate to say that the 'traitors' are like God's angels. Lucifer was furious that his brothers sided with humans rather than him, their own blood. Lucifer wanted his brothers to rise against God, who loved the humans and believed they were to be cherished. Basically," I said my voice becoming angry and rising, "Lucifer was being a little bitch baby because things didn't go his way and his brother decided to be a decent person rather than judge people for superficial and inconsequential things like blood status!"

Several of the surrounding Slytherins were glaring at me, and I could _feel_ Regulus's fury rolling off him in waves, but I just smiled at the boy that looked like Liam. Next thing I knew, Regulus was gripping my arm hard enough to bruise me, trying to haul me to my feet. "My name's Al by the way. Don't let the upperclassmen intimidate you, and don't be afraid to befriend people in other houses. All other houses—even Gryffindor. Some of us are stuck up or wild, but some of us aren't half bad." I winked and stood up before Regulus ripped out my arm. "Yes, Baby Black?" I asked, fixing my green eyes on his angry gray ones.

He squeezed my arm tighter, but I refused to wince, "Go back to your filthy table, you blood traitor bitch." His voice was low and angry. It was the type of voice that oozed power and all but forced people to listen, but Mum always said I was bad at listening. Plus, at just about thirteen, he hadn't yet grown into that power and confidence. We had a sort of staring contest where he bore over my trying to force me to submit, and I refused to back down.

A hand came down hard on Regulus's shoulder. It was Sirius, taller and broader than his brother and much less severe. "Reg, let go of Al," Sirius sounded every bit like a big brother, quiet but firm.

"Don't touch me!" Regulus let go of me and shook his brother off, turning back to his table.

"I feel sorry for you, Regulus. You missed out on having a damn good big brother," I said in a low voice before Sirius propelled me back to our table.

"You bloody idiot," Sirius hissed, "The hell were you thinking? You just go mouthing off at a table full of future murderers!" He guided me to my seat.

"Ally, are you ok!" Lily exclaimed.

"I'm fine, Lily. Regulus was spouting off a ton of rubbish and it got me all fired up. Plus," I lowered my voice so only Sirius and Lily could hear, "the kid he was spouting off to a kid that looked like Liam."

Sirius half sighed half growled and ran his hand through his hair. He turned to walk over to the other side of the table. "Lily, really I'm good. Look, desserts starting, and it looks like there's a trifle in front of your seat." She looked worried, but squeezed my shoulder—the good one, luckily—and went to her dessert.

"I swear, if my brother left bruises on your arm, I will deck him in the face," Sirius muttered darkly.

"To be fair, I did call him a bitch baby," I said, spooning dessert onto my plate.

Remus snorted in spite of himself. He was worried about me—I have a heavy portion of Gryffindor's recklessness in me.

I stared at my plate, the dessert made my stomach lurch, "Hey, Remus, what's the password? I'm kind of ticked still; I need some time to calm down."

"It's 'Bunbury'. You gonna fly, Bird?"

"Doubtful. I'd like to, but I'm probably going to listen to some music or something."

I climbed into the familiar common room and flopped into my favourite armchair and closed my eyes. Without opening my eyes, I pulled out my wand and flicked it at the radio, tuning it to my favourite station. I sat there for a minute until I heard the portrait open. When I opened my eyes I saw Sirius.

"There was no reason for you to skip dessert too, Padfoot."

"Stand up, Alchemy," I raised an eyebrow, but stood. Sirius only used my full name when he was—well—serious.

He walked over and pulled my robes off, exposing my button down blouse and gray skirt.

When he started working on my tie I said, "Jeez, Sirius, you're not even going to bother flirting with me first?" and laughed.

He ignored me and threw the tie with my robe and started unbuttoning my shirt, but I stopped him, "Sirius, you can't just strip me!"

"We both know you're wearing a camisole under there. I need to see your upper arm." I thought about protesting, but the look in his dark eyes told me it was pointless.

I shucked my shirt and he touched my bruise from my adopted father gently then turned me to see the other arm. A large hand shape wrapped around my bicep. Sirius growled and laid his hand gently over the print.

"It is not your fault. And he is not your responsibility. I made my decision and he made his. I don't want drama, and this year has had too much already what with Carter. If he comes after me again I'll hex him until he can't mount a broom or a broad."

Sirius barked a laugh in spite of himself and tossed me my shirt. I buttoned it but left it untucked and rolled the sleeves up. My robe and tie were tossed over the arm of the chair.

"It's a good thing we're the only ones here," I mused.

"Oh yeah? Why's that?"

I smirked, "Your fan club would've murdered me if they saw you being so gentle with me."

He laughed, "That's right, they'd probably think it quite dashing wouldn't they?"

"That and you use them for a good snog or a shag. You don't exactly do the whole sweet and gentle thing, Pads."

"I'll have you know I'm very sweet and gentle in that area as well."

"Like hell you are!" I cackled, "Don't forget, us birds like to gossip, and you've done two of my dorm mates and several of our friends. I've heard more about your shagging and snogging skills than I've ever wanted!"

"Well, I guess it's bound to happen when you're the best," he said smugly, stretching out.

"You cheeky git, we talk about all blokes, not just good ones. In fact, Mary was one of your first snogs and she said it's a really good thing you've had some practice."

He sat up straight, "That's a lie, Al! She never said any such thing!"

"Hmm? Oh you know you weren't the best when you started. My first snog ended with me biting his lip a tad too hard and drawing blood."

"Oh Merlin, poor Charlie. But no I was great even from the beginning!"

"Yes, I am so sure a little twelve and a half year old twit was the best at snogging. Just like a fourteen and a quarter year old wasn't good at shagging Marlene."

He swung out of his chair and leaned over me, hands on the armrests, pinning me. "Do I need to prove it to you that I'm the best?"

I laughed, "I'm sure you're bloody fantastic, but you aren't a little kid anymore. Plus, you've been practicing plenty."

He laughed and started tickling me. I was screeching and thrashing when the rest of our gang came in.

"Jeez, Sirius! If you're going to bang Al, at least have the decency to do it upstairs," James said.

Sirius turned and pressed his body against James's, pushing him to a wall, "And where should I bang you, mate?"

"Evans is the only one for me!" he protested.

Sirius looked over his shoulder at us, "That's not what he was saying last night."

"Get off of me, wanker," James said pushing against his friend's broad chest.

We all settled into our seats and James and Remus joined me in the shirking of robes. We were arguing over quidditch when the rest of the house started filtering in. The head boy was leading our new house mates in, and they looked around like scared rabbits.

"Oh Merlin's beard," I said, my voice carried to the line of first years, "You remember Mikey Dowd?"

"What of him?" Remus asked, hiding a grin.

"They finally found him! He was lost in the castle all summer!"

"So he really did get lost?" Peter asked, "No one though he would've. He was in our year, been in the castle for four years."

"Yeah, but you know how the castle can be. One wrong staircase on the way to breakfast and you hope you can get back by dinner."

"How'd he survive?" James asked.

"What did he eat?" Sirius added.

"I heard he used _aquimenti_ for water and ate whatever he could find. Bugs, mice, whatever."

I spared a glance at the first years, and they all looked horrified. The head boy hadn't heard us and was trying to figure out what was wrong. I roared in laughter. One look at the kids and the boys followed suit. Unfortunately, another prefect had heard.

"You should be ashamed!" Lily chided, hands on hips. "You're fifth years and you're having a laugh by scaring some brand new first years who don't know what to expect! You should know better! Especially you, Al and Remus. I can't believe you!" And, with that, she turned to help comfort the scared kids.

Sirius and I grinned. "Come off it," I said when I noticed the others faces, "Remus, it was a harmless prank. We all knew either you or I were going to tell them we were full of it. And, Peter, look on the bright side: the kids will be careful about where they go so they won't get lost. James…I don't really have anything for you. You're just sad Lily fussed at you. The most comforting thing I can think of is at least she doesn't have a good image of you. When you start finally making a good impression is when you don't want her to tell you off."

"Ally, come tell them you're full of it!" Lily called. I came over as instructed.

"Guys you're not going to get lost. Not for longer than a class period anyways. Yes the castle is big and intimidating, but most of the halls you'll be in are clearly marked and full of people. It might be hard to find some classes, but most people will give you directions if you're confused. Even me and my mates won't give wrong directions to first years, so feel free to ask us. If any of them lie, I'll charm their hair purple or charm birds to crap on their heads or something," a few kids giggled, "And 'Mikey Dowd'? He's a friend of my brothers. He's a pampered muggle boy who has never set foot in Hogwarts, and he's certainly never eaten a mouse," I smiled at them, "We were having a bit of a laugh is all—not that we were going to let you keep thinking you would get insanely lost, mind. We would've told you the truth." The kids looked less scared, so I smiled at Lily, "Well, I'll be getting back to my mates then. Have a good year all!"

"You're good at putting people at ease," Peter observed.

"Well, she's good at putting people she likes at ease," Remus corrected.

"Yeah, Regulus didn't look 'at ease' at dinner tonight," James laughed.

"Most people don't when Al inserts herself into their conversation and calls them a bitch baby," Sirius laughed, but I saw his eyes drift to my arm.

"Well, if people would stop having stupid conversations and being bitch babies, maybe I would put them at ease too," I laughed.

The first years came back down and found spots around the room. One girl came over to us. She had wavy brown hair just passed her shoulders and hazel eyes. She was short and a little pudgy but in a cute way.

"My name is Eloise," she announced, "and you," she pointed at me, "are going to leave my brother alone."

My brow furrowed, "Okaaay? First off, who's your brother?"

"Edmund McDonald, Hufflepuff."

"You're Eddie's sister?" Sirius asked, looking at her closely.

She blushed, "Yes, so she needs to stay away from him."

"Which brings me to my second question: why? Eddie likes Al. Says she's always good for a laugh."

Her chin up, she glared at me, "I don't want my brother being _involved_ with the type of slag that only hangs around in a group of guys so she can shag them whenever she feels like it."

"What the bloody hell?" I squeaked as Sirius and James howled with laughter. At least Peter and Remus tried to hide their laughter. "Merlin's pants! Why does everyone think I'm not a virgin?!"

"Because," Sirius said, suddenly not laughing, "You're best friends with a sex god and his disciples." He flung himself in my lap, "Let me teach you my ways, dear Alchemy."

I snorted and shoved him out of my lap, and he yelped as he hit the floor. "Listen, Eloise, not that it's anyone's business, but I've never shagged any of them. Hell, I haven't shagged anyone. And I'm not going to seduce your brother! We're friends is all." By this point I was blushing.

"Like I believe that, slag! You stay away from him!" and with that, she turned and walked away.

I stared at her back, my mouth agape. "What the hell was all that? I didn't even know what 'slag' meant when I was her age!"

"Well, that was an interesting twist for tonight," Remus said, amused.

"Forget this, I'm going to get the dessert I missed. James, I'm going to break in your room and take the cloak."

"Alright, you know where it'll be. Map's in the folder if you want it."

I walked out of the common room a few minutes later, my robes back on to hide the silvery material of the cloak. I tossed it on when the coast was clear and ghosted past a few people as I made my way to the kitchens. I glanced around to make sure no stray people were about then pulled off the cloak and tickled the pear.

"Hullo, Miss Al," a house elf greeted me, "What'll it be today?"

"Hello, Tiddly, anything sweet you've got on hand would be marvelous."

"Manky just whipped up a pudding I think you'll enjoy quite a bit."

Manky, the head house elf, and Tiddly brought me the pudding and I dug in gratefully as I chatted with the elves. They told me about several new recipes they developed over the summer and I shared my new tart recipes with them. They even said they would try to make the blueberry cheese ones for dessert the next night. I chatted with them for a while then departed, promising to give the boys their greetings.

I got back to the common room a quarter after ten and was surprised to see a good portion of the kids gone to their dormitories. "The elves say hi. Where is everyone? They do know we don't have classes tomorrow, right?"

"Dunno, they all headed up around ten. Now it's just fifth years and up," James said.

"Maybe it was too loud and they wanted to catch up with their dorm mates?" Remus guessed.

I looked around. All my room mates were gone. "I'm actually going to test that theory," I tossed James his cloak, "If the girls are talking, I'll stay up there with them, but, if they're sleeping, I'll be back down."

With goodnights to everyone just in case, I climbed the stairs and headed to my room. Inside, Mary, Marlene, and Alice were sitting on Alice's bed while Lily was laying on mine. "Ally!" they said, and stood to hug me. I sat on my bed and glanced out the window. I was always in the bed closest to the window.

"So how's everyone been?" I asked.

"Well Mary met a new boy," Marlene whispered conspiratorially, "Apparently he's a real looker."

"On the scale from Nick to Sirius where's he ranked?" Mary like to rank her dates. Her first boyfriend (Nick) was supposedly the ugliest guy she'd laid eyes on while Sirius remained the hottest.

"Just below Sirius," Mary said proudly, "In fact, he's better in that he has no real issues."

I whistled in appreciation, normally she found a serious fault with all her guys (Sirius's was his loyalty to his friends and that he only wanted to shag). "What's his name?"

"Vic. He goes to Durmstrang. He's six foot and built like a Minotaur. He has blond hair and blue eyes and he's just wonderful. He's the strong silent type, but he always likes to hear me talk, and…"

We gossiped about Vic and other guys well into the night before Lily announced it was bedtime. I thought about going to see the boys since I wasn't tired but Lily fixed me with a look that said "Go to bed now".

I sighed and changed into my loose black night shirt and spandex shorts. I rummaged in my trunk and pulled out a stuffed bear I'd had for years. Bartholomew was a little beat up, but I still loved snuggling with him.


	5. Chapter 5: A Bit of a Date

The next morning I woke to one of my room mates throwing a bottle of lotion at me. I groaned and rolled out of bed, nearly landing on Lily's foot. I struggled to my feet and blindly groped my way to the bathroom for a shower. I climbed in and was just starting to wake up when Mary poked her head in.

"Al, we're off to the Great Hall, don't forget that we're to meet later by the lake."

"'Kay," I muttered back. A few minutes later, I cut off the shower and dried off. It was a Saturday, so we didn't need to wear uniforms. I found a band shirt and a pair of jeans then turned to my hair. I dried it off with a spell and it sprung up into a mass of curls. Too lazy to tame the curls into something more attractive, I left it and summoned my glasses and multitude of jewelry. Bangles, hoop earrings, a choker, and a big opal ring.

I found a pair of flats in my trunk and hurried down to breakfast. I slid into my normal seat and reached for the cup of coffee that had been poured for me.

"Well, good morning, Al," Remus said amusedly. Sirius and I were both night owls. Mornings have never been my thing, and I'm pretty sure Sirius only made it down because James and Remus dragged him.

"Mornin', Moony," I yawned, reaching blindly for a bagel and cream cheese.

"Sleep well?" James asked, annoyingly bright, trying to irritate me.

"The sleeping part was excellent. It's the waking up part I didn't enjoy. Pads, pass me some eggs."

Sirius grumbled unintelligibly, and slid the eggs towards me. I grunted a thanks and shoved a forkful in my mouth.

"It's like watching two cave men coexist," James commented, and I glared at him. The cheeky git grinned and tapped on my cup with his wand to refill it. I downed it and another cup before I was fully awake.

"I vote we spell Snivillus before school starts," James said, leaning his head in.

"How will we find him? We can't get into his common room," Peter pointed out. We had tried many times to smuggle ourselves into the Slytherin common room to no avail.

"Easy," Remus said, getting into the prank in spite of himself, "Snape is one of the few people who goes into the library for fun. He normally goes even before classes start."

"I'd be impressed if you knew that for any reason other than you're normally in the library too," Sirius said, rousing himself.

"Remus should come in after I start hexing, so I have a reason to leave without losing to him. The real trick is going to be one of you two getting in without raising suspicion."

Remus nodded, "It'll be normal for me to be in there, and even Al—she's in there a good amount of time. But one of you will have to sneak."

"James is better at nonverbals, so how about we send him in under the cloak?" Sirius posited.

"That'd work, but how will Al pick a fight with him? She normally ignores him unless he starts something," Peter pointed out.

I grinned wickedly, "That won't be a problem. With my performance last night, he's definitely going to go after me. He already hates me because I'm 'the biggest connection between Potter and Lily'," I sneered in his voice.

"Ok, so when do we want to do it?" Sirius asked.

"Remus, when does Lily have her rounds tomorrow?"

"Right after dinner."

"Then let's do tomorrow night while Lils is on her rounds. We'll get our schedules tomorrow at lunch, so, if Lily is booked until dinner, they'll meet up to compare classes, and where better than the library?"

"Perfect! You'll make sure she's busy after lunch?" James asked me.

"Yeah we'll have to compare schedules and gossip about something or another."

"Just make sure it's something she can't resist," Remus said.

"Sirius, charm a paper plane to call me down tonight at like quarter till ten. I'll hint that I have big news, then rush out. As long as it's big enough, she'll meet us after lunch to talk about it."

"What'll you tell them?" Sirius asked.

"That I have a crush on someone. That's rare enough that she'll be dying to know."

"What?" Peter squeaked.

"You have a crush on someone? Who?!" James demanded.

I sipped my coffee and took a bite of my bagel, deliberately teasing them. "I have a tiny crush on Rafael."

Rafael Miller was a cute half-Thai Hufflepuff boy with warm eyes and a shy smile. He was a quiet and nerdy kid, but, if you could get him talking about muggle pop culture, his face would light up and he'd talk for hours. We'd met up a couple times over the summer and I was really starting to like him.

"Awww," Sirius teased, "Alchemy and Rafael—Alchael. You two would be so cute!"

"Jeez, Sirius, it's a crush! It's a bit early for couples names, doncha think?"

"Al, with your figure he's not gonna say no to you."

I twirled a lock of hair around my finger. I might have big tits and a big arse, but I wasn't exactly skinny. Plus I had frizzy hair, thick glasses, and too pale skin. "You're forgetting that I donk have your skills, Sirius," I smiled ruefully, not wanting to argue about my beauty.

"Bird, if you want a guy all you've got to do is smile at him, bat your eyes, and tell him you want him," Sirius said, grinning like a wolf, "I guarantee unless he hates you, like the Slytherins, or he's obsessed with someone else, like James, you could get him."

"Plus," Remus added when I looked skeptical, "Rafael loves muggle culture and books and so many of the things that are a part of your life. Nothing could mess it up for you two."

"Not unless she scares him by being loud and violent," James said, thoughtfully, poking his eggs around, "Or unless he thinks she's shagging us."

Remus, Peter, and Sirius stared at him unbelievingly and I groaned and took several gulps of coffee.

"Prongs!" Sirius said as he slapped the back of his head.

"Whaaat?!"

Luckily, Alice was calling me down, and I hurriedly excused myself and carried my mug away. I wiggled in between Alice and Mary and drained then refilled my cup.

"What's wrong, Ally? Your face is all red," Alice said, peering at me with big doe eyes.

"James was just being dense, no big deal," I said quickly. I couldn't let on about my crush just yet.

"Well, _that's_ certainly nothing new," Lily said with a sniff.

"C'mon, Lils, James isn't that bad. He's actually really sweet and funny when you get to know him."

"Too bad I don't intend to get to know the arrogant toe rag."

"You keep telling us if we got to know Sni—Snape we'd like him."

"Sev doesn't pick on people who can't defend themselves," She said primly.

Marlene snorted, "No, he just wants to be a death eater and torture muggles."

"He does not!" Lily exclaimed, "Just because his house mates might be awful doesn't mean he is!"

"My point," I interjected before we got into an argument, "is that everyone has their ups and downs. And I pick on the same people as James, so I know that's not your real problem. If you think we should give your friend the chance, why can't you give mine the same?"

She sighed, "Regardless, Alice called you down for a reason."

I rolled my eyes at the obvious subject change and looked at Alice with raised eyebrows.

"You're so good with animals; can you help me with Mia? She's been so quiet and her feathers have been looking rather dull…"

"Of course!" Alice's big barn owl was a favourite of mine. "I'll grab my bag as soon as Breakfast ends and we'll head over."

Alice's cute chubby face split into a grin, "Oh, thank you, Ally!"

"It's no trouble, Alice."

I crammed another plate full of food in my mouth, then let the rest of the Marauders know where I'd be, and rush back to my room to grab my bag. It was a small bag with animal tracks printed on it. I kept my treats and animal care things in it. I met Alice outside the Great Hall, and we walked to the Owlery.

Mia was on a perch in the middle of the room, and she looked pitiful. I cooed to her softly as I ran my fingers over her feathers. She hadn't been preening properly, so there were chunks of her feathers sticking together. I rubbed the crest of her heart shaped face and offered her my hand, which she nipped half-heartedly. When I offered her a treat, she picked at it, but didn't eat it.

"She's even worse than she was yesterday," Alice fretted, "She was only a little down yesterday, and she was eating a little."

"I think she has a parasite," I said finally. Owls weren't prone to many diseases, and barn owls are immune the most common owl sickness. "I'd write your parents and ask them to send you a potion for her. If I'm wrong, the potion won't hurt her, so there's no worry there."

Alice nodded, "I'll do that right away. I'll have to use one of the school owls. Hopefully Dad can get it to me by the time post comes tomorrow morning."

I nodded, "If she doesn't seem better after a few days of getting the potion, you should take her to someone who knows more than me."

"Alright. Thank you so much, Ally. I'm going to go write home now; bye,"

"Bye, Alice, see you after lunch."

I turned to one of the Owlery window and leaned far out of it, letting the wind whip my hair around my face. I leaned out a little farther, barely able to keep my feet on the straw covered floor. Just a little more and I'd be flying through the air with nothing but the wind around me…

"Alchemy!" a male voice snapped me out of my trance.

I whipped around to see Rafael in the doorway holding a scroll in his hand.

"What were you doing?" he demanded, louder than he normally spoke, "Leaning out that far is dangerous! What would you do if you'd fallen?"

I blinked, startled, my heart beating faster as I tried to push my hair back into place. "I'm fine, Rafael. Besides, the ledge is at my waist, I'd have to lean incredibly far for my center of gravity to reach past it."

"You were leaning pretty bloody far," he said crossly, tossing his soft dark hair out of his eyes with a flick of the head. "If your feet had left the floor you'd be done for!"

"Really, I'm alright, Rafael, but I'll be more careful, promise," I didn't want him to be cross with me. "Who're you writing?"

He looked like he didn't want to accept my subject change, but he did anyway, "My older brother. He's in Rome and our owl is old—he'd never make it alright."

"That's right, you said he was studying magic used in muggle architecture, yeah?"

"Yeah. Alchemy…" he trailed off, his voice going softer again. Rather than continue, he busied himself with attaching the letter to a horned owl's outstretched leg. I glanced out the window, trying very hard to pretend that my heart was not trying to escape the confines of my ribs. He carried the owl over to the window next to me and we watched it take to the sky.

Sirius's words from that morning came back to me. _I can't tell him I want him, but surely I can smile and maybe flutter my lashes._ I smiled at him, and gave the barest of flutter with my lashes. He glanced down before giving me a tentative smile back. It was hard to believe that this shy boy in front of me was the same that had just told me off for leaning out a window.

Suddenly, Rafael hugged me tightly, and my arms automatically circled around him. He was so warm and comforting, like being wrapped in a blanket by the fire. I rested my head on his shoulder, breathing in his spicy scent, feeling his heart pound like mine.

"Alchemy," he began, but he was interrupted by the pounding of feet running just outside the door.

Sirius skidded into the Owlery as we jumped apart with red faces. He looked at the scene in front of him, and sent me an apologetic look. "Ah, sorry. Al, um, could you meet us whenever you get a chance? We're going to be down at the quidditch pitch."

"You can go ahead, Alchemy," Rafael said, brushing his arm against mine as he walked to the door, "I have to meet Eddie at the greenhouses soon." And with one last look at me he disappeared around the corner.

After a few moments, I glared at Sirius, who grinned sheepishly, "Sorry, Al."

I pushed past him in irritation, leading the way to the quidditch pitch. Sirius was still apologizing when we reached the others.

"What'd you do, mate?" James asked Sirius who was trailing behind he like a sad puppy.

"I—," he started.

"He interrupted a very delicate situation," I humphed. I knew Sirius didn't mean to interrupt, but I couldn't help being annoyed. "Raf hugged me and was getting ready to say something when Sirius came crashing in."

Remus winced, "Bad move, Padfoot."

"It wasn't on purpose! Last I heard, she was up there with Alice, not her crush! How was I to know she was making progress with Rafael? "

As he defended himself, a purple airplane drifted down to me. I unfolded it and read, " _Alchemy, I'm sorry for rushing off like that. Would you perhaps meet me after dinner for a walk along the lake? I'll wait by the tree just off the path for you. Hope to see you then, Rafael."_

I felt my face flush and my heart lift. Sirius grinned, no doubt happy I wouldn't be irritated anymore.

"I swear, if you guys do anything to interrupt this, I will string you up by your toes and use you to practice my hexes!"

"Don't worry," Remus said, "I'll keep them inside the castle."

"Thanks, Moony," I grinned, "Now why'd you call me out here?"

"Concepta wants to start training a week after school starts then tryouts will be the following Saturday," James said, "I figured we should run a few drills ourselves."

"It's going to be a tough tryout," Sirius added, "A lot of second years are trying out for chaser. At least five of them are good. Marcus and Dimitri Loggos also said they were going to try out for beaters, and they're huge."

"Size won't matter if they can't fly straight or hit the bludgers," I scoffed, but I knew it was going to be a challenge. "You're right about us needing to practice though. I am a little rusty."

"Ok, so how about tomorrow after breakfast?" James asked looking at me and Sirius.

I nodded, and Sirius said, "Sounds good. Remus, Peter, will you be here to watch, or will you hide away in the library like old fuddy duddies?"

"I'll do whatever Remus does."

"I suppose I'll watch."

Until lunch, the three of us planned our practice strategy while Remus read and Peter munched on sugar quills. We only stopped talking about it for lunch because Remus threatened to hit us with his book if we didn't quit.

Lunch was uneventful, we just joked about until Lily dragged me away.

We settled under the very tree I was going to meet Rafael under later. I laid on my stomach and propped myself up on my elbows. I was dying to tell them, but for the sake of the prank, I had to refrain.

"So, Ally, you didn't tell what possessed you to go off on Sirius's brother yesterday," Mary said, "What was with you? I've never seen you pick a senseless fight."

I shrugged, "Regulus was being a brat. He was badmouthing one of my closest friends to a boy that looks like my little brother. Not to mention he was kind of insulting my family's religion. Plus, the older he gets, the more he irritates me. He's more of a bully than James has ever been, he's more of a braggart than his brother, and he hates people with my blood status who don't act like arrogant, stuck up twats. Plus, with me being so close to Sirius, it felt like telling off a little sibling."

"Still, you ought to be careful, Ally," Alice told me.

"Yeah," Marlene agreed, "he's friends with Avery and Mulciber. I wouldn't want them on my bad side."

I shrugged, "Regulus tries to stay out of anything involving his brother. As long as I stay out of his way for a bit, it'll be fine."

Alice frowned, "Lily, I'm still worried about her. Will you ask Snape to make sure they don't do anything to her?"

"Alice, I'll be alright; I swear."

"Yeah, Alice, I'll ask him tomorrow when I see him. I'm sure he wouldn't have let them hurt her anyway."

Marlene and I snorted, but didn't say anything.

"Oh, Lily, James made me promise to deliver a message," she groaned, but I went on, "'Dearest Evans, I'm beyond thrilled that we are back together for this year. I wish I could gaze upon your flower like beauty all the day long, but I will satisfy myself with merely gazing at you in between classes. You are perfection. When I have naught but my own thoughts for company, your image warms and comforts me. Love, your arrogant toe rag.'"

"Oh Merlin, he's awful at love notes!" Alice exclaimed as Mary and Marlene cackled and Lily covered her face.

"To be fair, Sirius purposefully gave him dreadful advice," I laughed.

"The only decent part was when he called himself a toe rag!" Lily exclaimed.

"Ha! That was my advice!"

"Do you think he'll ever give up, Ally?" Lily said with a note of desperation.

"Not likely," I chirped, "He's pretty content chasing after you."

"Really? I heard he was chasing Lily, but he was open to snogging any girl who would let him," Mary said.

"Fat chance," I said, "James barely even looks at other girls. He snogged a few before he started chasing Lily, but he's sworn to touch no other girl."

"Except you," Marlene added.

I laughed, "To all of them, I'm just a bloke who happens to have a very feminine figure."

"That can't be possible," Alice protested.

"Nah, I believe it," Marlene answered, "Ally's the least feminine acting girl I've ever met."

"I will gladly take that as a compliment."

"It isn't one. You're never going to get a guy acting like that."

"I prefer to believe that I'll find one who'll enjoy me for myself and all lovely nonsense."

"Speaking of, look who's here," Mary said pointing behind me.

I rolled over and saw Sirius and James approaching.

"Sorry, Ladies," Sirius said with his womanizing grin, "we're going to have to steal Al. You can have her back tonight, and tomorrow after lunch."

"Hold on, Black, we've got custody right now," Marlene said, hugging me around my neck.

"This is extenuating circumstances, McKinnon," James said, sparing a smile for Lily, "We can't go into it, but it's for her own good."

I furrowed my brow, "Ok, I don't even know what this is about."

"It's about the purple airplane," Sirius said, wiggling his eyebrows.

I tilted my head back to look at the others, "It is important…"

"Just promise us Black is helping you or something, and you're not ditching us for him," Mary said.

"That I can do," I said, then raised my hands in a silent request to be helped up. James hauled me up and threw me over his shoulder. "Hey! I'm not a sack of potatoes!" I protested, but James ignored me.

"Farewell, Evens," He called.

"And Farewell to the rest of you lovely ladies as well," Sirius purred.

He was met with eye rolls and "Get out of here, Black."

James put me down just inside the castle to avoid getting fussed at and led us up to the boys' dorm room.

"You need to look nicer if you're going to be meeting Rafael," Sirius said, gesturing to my hair and band shirt.

"I don't dress to look good for guys!"

"Then think of it as dressing up so you can look good to get a guy that'll make you happy."

"Plus, it's not like you're lying to him, or making yourself appear different. He sees you on a normal basis. This is just going to be a nice surprise for him."

"And it'll show him that you like him too. You're god awful at flirting, so he probably isn't sure how you feel. Showing up looking nice will give him more confidence."

"Alright, alright, alright, I'll dress pretty, but my stuff isn't in here."

"Yeah you go get your low cut floral top on—the one that laces up in the front—and that high wasted black skirt, black knee highs, and the light blue Mary Janes. Your jewelry is good, but switch to the black choker with the sun charm and the matching earrings. Then Pads is going to help you with hair and makeup."

"Whoa! Since when are you two experts in women's fashion?" I crossed my arms and sat in my hip.

"Easy, sassy Bird, but you've never cared much about fashion. We pay more attention to what women wear than you. And I've learned plenty about makeup spells and potions from my girlfriends."

I grumbled, but couldn't protest, so, fifteen minutes later, I sauntered back into the room, heels clicking on the wood floors. Sirius looked me over and whistled appreciatively.

"Isn't this a bit much?" I asked weakly, "We're going for a walk, it's not even a date really. Why don't I wear these high wasted jeans?"

James sighed, "This is way hotter, but I guess it may be a little much for a walk." Sirius nodded in agreement, and I happily changed into the tight jeans.

Sirius directed me to sit on his bed, then tapped my hair with his wand to dampen it. My hair was short and curly, coming down just to my jaw when dry, but up around my eyes closer to the front. He finger combed my hair and rubbed what I guessed was Sleekeazy's in to calm the frizziness. He tousled my hair to arrange my curls then pushed my hair straight back, securing it with a black headband. He tapped my hair again, and I felt my hair dry and spring up into curls.

"Damn, Sirius, I know your hair always looks good, but I didn't expect you to be so good with Al's."

"Never under estimate my skills, Prongs."

He reached for a bag by his feet and pulled out several cosmetic potions.

"Your girlfriend's I presume?" I asked, "Who is it this week?"

"Gloria Little, Ravenclaw, sixth year. Now hush, take off your glasses, and sit still."

He tapped my face and it felt ten times cleaner, then he tapped each cheek, reddening them, I imagined. He picked a black potion and I closed my eyes automatically. Using his wand, he applied the potion to my eyelashes and lids, darkening and lengthening the lashes and creating a cat eye affect. I opened my eyes to see him picking a red potion that he applied to my lips along with a clear potion.

"What's the point of eye makeup when I have glasses?" I asked, sliding them back on.

"Al," James said, an odd tone to his voice, "go look in the mirror."

I obeyed and walked to the full length mirror on the bathroom door. I almost didn't recognize myself. Sirius hadn't done much, but it all had a big effect. My hair was tamed and curled around my head like a lion's mane, my eyes were bright and alluring behind my glasses, my lips were full red and glossy, and the clothes they had picked out looked incredibly sexy. I looked amazing. I felt amazing.

I turned to the boys with a huge grin, and caught the boys staring at my arse. James looked ashamed, but Sirius just grinned cheekily and cast a sealing spell on my face.

"You know, if you keep staring at my arse, it's going to be hard to convince everyone you all see me as one of the guys."

"You are. You just have a feminine figure that I admire," Sirius said, slapping my arse.

I rolled my eyes and hugged him, then James, kissing them both on the cheek.

"It's nearly dinner time; let's head down, Bird."

I slid into my normal seat and started filling my plate before I looked up to greet Remus and Peter, only to find them staring at me.

"What? Did I mess up my hair or something?" I asked, reaching up to brush my hair.

"Wow," Peter breathed.

"Al, you look stunning!" Remus said, "You're going to knock Rafael's socks off."

I blushed slightly, busying myself with my food while Sirius boasted over his skills in makeup and hair. I was distracted all dinner, eating quickly and only responding to people talking directly to me. I finished off my dessert then insisted that Sirius triple check that my hair and makeup were still intact.

"Merlin's pants, Al, I've never seen you this nervous!" James laughed as I compulsively wiped nonexistent crumbs off my pants.

"That's only because you weren't there for my first date or my first snog. Charlie can probably tell you all sorts of horror stories of me being a wreck. And I didn't like him nearly as much as I like Rafael."

"Well you better hurry before he thinks you stood him up," Remus pointed out, and I scurried out without another word.

I forced myself to slow down as the tree came into sight. Rafael was leaning against the tree, nervously tapping his fingers on his thigh as he looked over the lake.

"Rafael," I called and he turned quickly, but as soon as he saw me he froze. He was focused on my face, but he glanced over the rest of me too. He looked so shocked, so of course my mind started freaking out. Did he call me out for some other reason? Did he hug me because something was happening in his home life and he wanted to confide in me? Why wasn't he saying anything?

"Alchemy, you look amazing," he breathed.

I blushed and ducked my head, "Thanks. Do you want to walk?"

"Yeah, of course. Can you walk so close to the water in heels? It's squishy."

"Oh, it's no problem."

We started walking and after a moment I tripped over a rock. I cursed automatically, then mentally cursed myself for cursing in front of Raf, but he just smiled at me and offered me his arm. I gladly took it and gave him a small smile which he returned. We chatted as we walked about our summers and books we had read. We watched the sun set before he took a deep breath as we walked out on the dock.

"Alchemy, what I wanted to tell you before was…oh jeez, I suck at this," he ruffled his hair and we sat on the edge of the dock. "Alchemy, I've really enjoyed spending time with you over the summer. You're smart, funny, and—look at you—you're stunning. You aren't ashamed to talk about muggle culture, and you're willing to take the time to get me out of my shell. You're sweet, and…I really, really like you." The last bit came out in a rush as he looked down at his feet.

I touched his hand and he looked at me, "I think you're pretty damn good at this."

I don't know if my words gave him courage or if it was being so close or Sirius's handy work, but something gave him the courage to lean forward and capture my lips with his own. Of course, he pulled back before I could react and started apologizing profusely.

"Hey, Raf," he looked at me, "I really, really like you too." And I kissed him. It only lasted for a moment, but in that moment…it felt like my entire body became lighter to the point that I was barely aware of it. The only points of my body I was aware of where my lips pressing against his, my hand on his, and my heart which felt like it was reaching out to the boy next to me.

"So this might be late, but, Rafael, will you go out with me?"

"I was getting ready to ask you the same. Of course I'll go out with you, Alchemy."

After a few more slow sweet kisses, he looked up suddenly. Since we had been out, it had gotten quite dark. He looked at his watch (a muggle one he was fond off), "It's 9:15. We have a quarter of an hour until curfew." The castle was a fair distance away, I could barely see the towers for the trees we'd passed.

I laughed and stripped off my shoes and socks, "Well, we'd better run then."

He laughed and took the hand that wasn't holding my shoes and we raced back around the lake. I tripped once, but Raf caught me before I could fall and helped me to keep running. We made it in the door and I took a moment to wipe my feet and yank my shoes on. The halls were empty except for a few stragglers that stared as we clattered through, my shoes causing clicks that echoed around us, barely audible about our breathless giggles. We skidded to a halt outside of the Hufflepuff common room.

"What time is it?" I gasped.

"9:24, you have six minutes to get up to the seventh floor, and prefects always have someone outside Gryffindor."

"Yeah, my house has the most late. Well I'd better run then! Wish me luck!" I threw my arms around his neck and gave him a sloppy kiss before I raced away.

If I hadn't known a secret passage from the third floor to the seventh, I wouldn't have made it. As was, I just barely made it. I groaned and dropped into my chair next to the other Marauders and pulled off my shoes.

"Cutting it close, aren't you?" Sirius asked raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"I told you, Padfoot, Rafael is way too shy—and Al too nervous—for them to progress past an innocent kiss or two," Remus said, not even looking up from his book.

"I hate that you're right, but it was mostly because of a time issue, not nerve or shyness."

Peter looked up from his game of exploding snaps he was losing to James, "But, Al, you were gone for hours."

"Ok, the time constraint may have been caused by nerves and shyness," I admitted, "but I'll fill you all in later. Now I have to make sure that I have Lily's attention tomorrow after lunch. Don't forget to send me a plane."

I carried my shoes and socks upstairs to my room and allowed a dopey grin to cross my face as I pushed the door open.

"Ally! We were wondering where you'd got—whoa!" Mary broke off when she saw me. Even after my run, I must've looked impressive.

"Where were you, then?" Marlene demanded.

"Hang on, let me change really quickly," I said, drawing out their curiosity. I changed back into my band shirt, a soft pair of mismatched socks, and a pair of exercise shorts in house colors, spelled off my makeup, and shed my jewelry, leaving only the headband.

"Ok now spill!" Lily demanded.

I let the dopey grin come back over my face, "Sirius and James picked out my clothes and Sirius actually did my hair and makeup."

"That's not what we want to know!" Mary complained.

"Though that is impressive," Marlene added

"Why were you so dressed up?" Alice demanded.

"Oh, that?" I twirled a lock of hair around my finger, "I guess I was kind of on a bit of a date."

I was met with several squeals and a chorus of "what", "who", and "no way". I laughed, waiting for them to die down enough to be intelligible.

"Who is it?" Lily eventually said over the others.

I opened my mouth to answer when Sirius's red paper plane whistled under the door and skidded into my lap.

 _Come on, Al, we're dying for details! Come to our room!_

"That idiot! I have to go," I said, standing abruptly, "It's Remus, he said James drank a potion out of his case, and he's blabbering in Latin now. I've got to go translate."

"He would do something so stupid," Lily muttered, and I mentally apologized to James.

"Wait, you can't leave us hanging!" Alice exclaimed, the others nodding.

"I have quidditch practice with the boys after breakfast and until lunch. Meet me at the same tree after lunch? We can compare schedules and gossip."

"We'll be there," Lily assured me, "but at least tell us who!"

I hesitated at the door, smiling again, "Rafael," and with that I disappeared out the door, closing against the squeals that tried to follow me.


	6. Chapter 6: Chocolate Thief

A/N Hey guys! Thanks so much to the people who have reviewed/favorited/followed my story so far! :-)  
Until the story picks up a bit, I'm going to post a few chapters at a time when I update because I feel like it takes a little while to get really into the story. Please feel free to let me know what you think-the more feedback I get during the beginning of the story, the more I can adjust it as the story progresses to give y'all the best possible story.  
Ciao, i miei amori!

* * *

I climbed up to the boys' room and walked in without knocking and flopped onto Remus's bed. Sirius broke off from digging his knuckles into Peter's head to look up. He bounded off Peter's bed and launched himself onto James's, so he could look across at me.

"So what happened?" he demanded excitedly. James leaned forward too, and Remus turned so they were looking at me. Peter was a little slow on the up take, so it took him a moment to adjust his curtains so he was looking at me.

I grinned, "Well, Sirius's handy work definitely paid off, he said I looked amazing. It took him a long while to work his nerve up, but we eventually got to the dock and he said I was smart and sweet and I wasn't ashamed to talk about muggle culture and I was pretty and funny and he really, really liked me. Then he kissed me but—"

"Wait, _he_ kissed _you_ first? I would've thought he'd be was to shy," Remus interjected.

I laughed, "It was a brief moment of boldness. He pulled away before I could even kiss back! But I told him I liked him too and I kissed him!"

"Woo, go Al," Sirius, James, and Peter cheered, to Remus's and my amusement.

"So did he ask you to officially go out with him then?"

"Well, technically, I asked him. He said yes."

"So when you gonna shag him?"

"Sirius!"

"Whaaat?"

I laughed and fixed my headband, "I'll lose my virginity when James gets Lily to kiss him."

"So you'll never lose it then?" Remus asked, innocently.

"Hey!" James protested, "I'll get her one day!"

This was of course met with snorts of disbelief.

"Hey, I believe in you, James. You better get her for my sake," I laughed.

"How about you lose yours when Padfoot dates a girl for more than a month?" Pete suggested.

"It's about the same likelihood," Remus snorted.

"Alright, whichever comes first, then," I laughed as James and Sirius started arguing which would come first.

We left them to their bickering, and started playing exploding snap. Eventually, Sirius and James swooped back down on us.

"Al, I'm booored," James said, throwing himself in my lap, "Make snap more fuuuun."

"And how would I do that?"

"Let's play strip snap!" Sirius exclaimed.

"No," Remus and I said together.

"Why noooot," James complained.

Remus and I wordlessly pointed at my chest. Sirius and James looked surprised as if they had forgotten that there were actually boobs under my shirt.

"How about we plan a back to school prank?" I suggested.

Sirius laid on his stomach in between me and James and Remus. "I'm thinking we should do something on the first day of school."

"We won't have a lot of time to plan," Pete worried.

"Remus, what do you think?"

"I think I shouldn't be involved in this as a prefect. And you lot should know that just because I'm a prefect doesn't mean you can get away with breaking all the rules."

"Silly Moony, of course that's what it means!" James crowed, "So what'll it be gents?"

I grinned evilly, "Why don't we release flaming salamanders in the Great Hall? It'll be plenty chaotic."

Sirius nodded eagerly, "They'll catch everyone's robes on fire. Ooh, and they're small enough that we can just lob em across to the Slyth—"

"Alright, fine! But I can't do anything out in the open, and I may have to punish you."

"Just be late to breakfast," I said.

"Fine," he thought for a minute, "How about a dye spell?"

"We're going to kill people?" Peter squeaked.

"D-Y-E, you dork," James laughed, "What exactly are you thinking, Moony?"

"Charm everyone's hair pink or something."

"No, Gryffindor colors!" Sirius crowed, "I want to see Snivillus and Reg with red and gold hair!"

"Oh Merlin, imagine Diane's face!"

"I think I saw a spell for temporary color in Witch Weekly," I recalled, "I can look for it when I'm sure the others are asleep. Mary has all the issues from the last year."

"Alright, I wanna do it!" James cried.

"Um, no you don't, Prongs," I said.

"Yes I do."

"To make my escape I told the girls you took one of Remus's potions and started babbling in Latin. Lily doesn't exactly have a good image of you from teasing the first years and that. You really shouldn't do anything else that she sees if you want her to acknowledge your existence anytime soon."

"Al!"

"What? It was the first thing I thought of!"

"Fine," he said grumpily.

"I'll cast it!" Sirius volunteered.

"Ok, just make sure everyone gets it."

We gossiped late into the night, coming up with more pranks we could pull. I fell asleep when it was just me and Sirius coming up with beater strategies. As usual when I fell asleep in the boys' room, Sirius tucked me into his bed and climbed in next to me. I used to sleep in Remus's bed, but he was a light sleeper and I toss and turn. Of course, he didn't tell me that for nearly a year after the first time I crashed in their room. Considering Peter took up his whole bed and James slept in only his underwear, Sirius became my new bed buddy.

I woke up curled against Sirius's chest with his long hair tickling my nose. At first, I didn't realize what had woken me up until Peter's pillow crashed into me again.

"'m wake, don' hit me, Wormy," I muttered, turning my body so my face was snuggled into Sirius's neck, forcing him to move his arm under me to wrap around me.

"Get up, Al, you have to go grab your clothes," Remus said, walking to the other side of the bed to shake Sirius.

"Remi, I don' wanna get up. 'M gonna skip breakfast. Nigh' nigh'," Sirius mumbled, curling up next to me and essentially treating me as a teddy bear.

"M' too. Swee' dreams, Moony," I said into Sirius's neck.

I heard an exasperated sigh, "Alchemy, if you don't get out of bed right now, I'll get James's camera and take a picture for your new boyfriend. I'm sure he'll enjoy seeing his girlfriend snuggled next to a shirtless Sirius Black, notorious playboy that's always around his girl."

I rolled out of the bed so fast that I got tangled in the blankets and couldn't catch myself before banging my hip. Sirius grumbled at the loss of warmth and struggled to get up and find his practice uniform.

"That's not fair, Moony! You know it wasn't anything like that!"

He raised an eyebrow, "It got you up didn't it?"

I chose not to answer and held my hand out so he could pull me to my feet. I tossed the blankets back on the bed and stretched.

James ruffled my hair and poked his head out of the door. Closing it, he told me, "I wouldn't go out just yet if you don't want the rumors coming back in full force."

"I'll message one of the girls," I said, looking in Remus's drawer for parchment and quill.

"Send it to Marlene," Sirius grunted from the bathroom, splashing water on his face.

"Why?" I asked as I scrawled out my request.

"I'm gonna go after her again, I think."

"Why?" I asked again as I sent the airplane.

"She was my first and I was hers. I want to show her how much I've improved."

"Plus, rumor has it that she's improved a lot too," James added wickedly.

Remus and I rolled our eyes. The guys got ready, and, a few minutes later, a knock sounded. Sirius, suddenly awake, bounded over like a dog excited to greet a guest. He opened the door and pushed his hair back in a way he thought quite sexy. Marlene cocked an eyebrow at him and shoved my clothes at him and walked away without a word.

Sirius blinked a few times then turned and handed me my clothes without a word. Stifling a laugh, I ducked into the bathroom before one of the others could. I washed my face then pulled on my practice uniform on and tied a scarf around my hair to keep it out of my face.

When I walked out, Sirius was still standing in the middle of the room just blinking.

"Oh, come off it, Padfoot," I said, patting his shoulder, "You already dated and dumped her, so it makes sense she wouldn't go gaga over you. You'll just have to work at it."

We went down to breakfast, and ate quickly, so I wouldn't have time to be accosted by the girls. Remus and Sirius returned to the tower to grab the brooms while I wished Raf a good morning and explained that I had a lot going on today. He said he'd come watch me practice with Remus and Peter and gave me a kiss before I rejoined the Marauders.

"Awww," James and Sirius cooed, and I flipped them off. Remus tossed me my broom and I caught it with only mild fumbling.

"Honestly, Al, how can you fly so gracefully and hit every bludger you aim for, yet on the ground you have the worst hand eye coordination I've ever seen!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Even Peter can catch better than you," James added to Peter's delight, glowing under the inadvertent compliment.

"I can't help it," I protested, "Just be thankful I do well in the air."

"We'd have lost every game otherwise," they said together.

We made it down to the pitch, and, once Sirius tied his hair up, we took off, Remus and Peter settling in the stands with chocolate frogs and sugar quills. After our warm ups, I noticed Raf in the stands with them, so I swooped down low to greet him, only to hear the crack off a bat and a bludger hurtling towards me. I rolled and swung my bat in one smooth motion and glared at Sirius, his bat still raised.

"No time for boyfriends on the field, Bird!" he called.

I whipped my broom to face him, and laid flat, zooming towards him. He turned and fled, but not before I reached out and clipped the wood of his broom with my bat. He veered dangerously and almost fell before righting himself and glaring at me.

I laughed then flew to my place for our next exercise.

I called an end to practice half an hour before lunch, so we could all shower and change out of our sweaty clothes. The three spectators met us on the path.

Raf made to hug me, but I held a hand up, "You don't want to do that until I've had a shower."

He glanced at my friends, then, ignoring my still upraised hand, hugged my tightly and kissed me soundly.

"Wow, Rafael, I wouldn't have expected you to be so bold, especially not in front of other people," Sirius said, eyebrows raised.

He shrugged, "I figure Alchemy's always around you lot, so, if I won't kiss her around you, then I won't get to kiss her nearly as much as I want to."

I smiled and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him again.

"Ooh, me next, me next!" Sirius chanted, "Oh, don't glare, Rafael. I don't want to kiss _her_."

It took Raf a second, but, when he understood the implication, he looked stricken. I laughed, "He's kidding, love."

"Yeah, the only guy I go for is this one," he said, grabbing Remus's shoulders and swinging his legs up, forcing Remus to catch and cradle him, "And maybe James."

Raf looked confused as Remus dropped Sirius and stepped over him, "Shall we?" he asked, heading towards the castle as the rest of us stifled laughter.

"Moony! How could you? After I held you so tenderly last night after we made love! Why would you walk away from me, Darling Moony?" Sirius pined dramatically from the ground.

With a straight face and a twinkle in eyes that was the only indication he was joking, Remus called back, "Why would you cheat on me with James and Peter?" (Peter squawked at that) He even cast a hurt and scornful look over his shoulder. "I don't need you anymore, Sirius," then, his face splitting into a lopsided grin, he scooped me up, "I have Al." I screeched in laughter.

Raf protested as Remus darted towards the castle with me in his arms, but we didn't even make it far before Sirius tackled us. He shoved me away from Remus.

"How dare you steal my boyfriend, you vile harpy!" he mock yelled at me while he cradled Remus like a kitten rather than a wolf that could snap his neck as easily as a chicken's.

"He's happier with me!" I cried in mock anger, "I don't hex his books to fly around the common room! Nor do I steal his hidden chocolate!"

"I replace it eventually!"

"Wait, you steal my chocolate?" Remus said, peering up at Sirius.

"Um, can I get back to you on that?"

"Sirius! You promised you'd stop!"

"He crossed his fingers behind his back," Peter chimed in.

"Shut up, Pete!"

I laughed as I turned to Raf to see him looking on the scene before him with a mix of confusion and bemusement. I stood up and offered my hand to Remus.

"Don't touch him, you harlot!" Sirius laughed, knocking my hand away, trying (and failing) to stand up while simultaneously helping Remus up. Eventually, Remus had enough of letting Sirius struggle and he pushed them both up easily.

I offered Raf my hand and we laughed and bickered about who Moony loved more the entire way back. With a promise to sit at the Hufflepuff table, I separated from Rafael and the rest to go have my shower.

It was gloriously warm and clean. I could've easily stayed in for an hour, but, if I was still in by the time lunch started, I had no doubt Sirius find a way to climb the girl's stair to haul me out of the steamy bliss. After I threw on jeans and a shirt, I rushed down, only bothering with the barest of jewelry.

I ruffled Sirius's hair as I walked passed, and slid into the seat Raf had saved me. I was having a good time talking to him and Eddie when Eddie looked passed me in confusion.

"What're you doing over here, Eloise?" he asked. I looked around and recognized the little girl who had warned me to stay away just the day before yesterday, hands on hips and glaring at me.

"First off," I began before she could start, "I'm here with my _boyfriend_ Rafael, who happens to be friends with your brother. Second, I am not trying—nor have I ever tried—to snog your brother, much less shag him. Thirdly and finally, I am not a slag, and I still maintain the fact that I'm virgin. Mostly because **I am**. So, if you're going to try to fuss at me for any of that, we can just pretend you have and get back to lunch now, yeah?" And with that I turned back to my lunch.

"Wait, what?" Eddie asked, "Al, what the heck did Ellie say to you."

"I said I didn't want a slag like her that hangs around with the _Marauders_ so she can shag them whenever she wants to be involved with my big brother," she said primly.

I rolled my eyes and popped a bite of my sandwich into my mouth, "What she said."

"It wouldn't even irritate me as much if she didn't pretend to be one of them," she continued.

I froze for a moment before swinging my legs over the bench and standing. I may not have been tall, but I was taller than Eloise and I could be quite fierce when I wanted to be. "Listen here, girly, I don't give two shakes of Peter's arse if you want to call me a slag or whatever other lies you believe. However, I will not stand for someone telling me that I am not a Marauder. Do you understand me?"

She seemed shaken, but she didn't back down, "A group like them wouldn't have a _girl_ in it."

"We don't," Sirius's voice came from behind her, "We have an Al."

Eloise whirled, her face turning pink, "But she is a girl!"

"So?" James asked, throwing an arm around Sirius's shoulders, "I mean, she never acts like a girl, but who cares what she's got in between her legs anyways?"

I grinned at them, but Eloise put her hands on her hips, "My brother told me that the Marauders were the best pranksters to ever grace the halls of Hogwarts since they first came here. He told me a bunch of pranks you've done, but girls don't act like he said you guys did."

They shrugged and Sirius said, "Like James said: she doesn't act much like a girl. Hell, the first time I saw her in a dress I almost didn't recognize her. But no matter what she wears or what she acts like, she's our Al, the Bird of the Marauders. She may have tits, but that doesn't mean she can't hex the pants off of Snivilly or cast a sticking charm to all the benches before dinner. You don't need to have a tool to be a prankster. All she needs to do is be Al."

"Beautiful speech, Padfoot," I drawled, and he grinned and winked. I rolled my eyes.

"Ellie, I told you there was a girl in the group," Eddie said, "and I never said she was shagging the rest of them. And why are you even talking about shagging? You're eleven!"

She lifted her nose, "I read between the lines. And I heard you and Marc talking when he was over."

He groaned, "I'm sorry, Al, I'll talk to her after lunch. Ellie, please go back to your table?"

She looked ready to argue, but Sirius and James led her back. She blushed and meekly followed.

"I think your sister has a crush on Sirius," I said as I scooped up some pasta salad.

"If he touches her, I will kill him."

"Don't worry, he won't touch her. Well, not when she's so little. I mean, he probably won't go after her when she gets older either. Well, unless she gets a great figure. Or looks really cute. But he probably won't go after her. Probably."

Eddie glared at the Gryffindor table and Raf and I stifled laughs. Eddie was about the least intimidating person I knew what with his chubby cheeks and warm, brown eyes.

At the end of lunch, colored pieces of paper flew from the teachers' table each finding their student. I caught my blue schedule before it could land in my pumpkin juice, and compared it with Rafael's.

"Looks like we have History of Magic, Herbology, and Astronomy together."

"You aren't taking Muggle Studies, Al?"

"Nah, seemed pointless since I know more about muggle culture than wizarding. Plus, I wanted to do Arithmancy and Care of Magical Creatures."

"Al!" Marlene yelled in a demanding voice.

I grinned apologetically at my boyfriend, "Gotta go." He gave me a kiss and I ran to meet the girls before Marlene tried to drag me away.


	7. Chapter 7: Marauder Bitch

"Did I see you kissing Rafael?!" Marlene demanded before we even got out of the Great Hall.

"Marlene, I can't hear, let's get outside first," Alice asked sweetly. Marlene rolled her eyes and stormed out, letting all of us jog to keep up.

We sat down, and Marlene arched an eyebrow. "Yes, Marlene, I did kiss Rafael. That's typically what one does with one's boyfriend."

"What?!" Lily exclaimed, eyes going wide.

"One often kisses the person they date. It's part of the relationship process," I said slowly, "I know you haven't gone out with anyone, but I thought you understood the theory, Lily."

"You're dating him?" Mary practically yelled, making a few first year jump.

"I think I've said that twice now."

"Oh my gosh, you two are gonna be so cute together!" Alice said, grinning, "Congrats, Ally."

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" Lily demanded.

"James was an idiot, remember? And then I fell asleep over there. And then I had to practice because Marcus and Dimitri are trying out for my position. And then I had lunch with my boyfriend."

"Tell us how it happened!" Mary insisted.

I told them what I told the guys the night before with a few extra embellishments. They reacted almost like the boys.

"Oh, he kissed you first?" Lily said, obviously shocked.

"Yeah, for like, half a second before he pulled away and started apologizing."

"Aw that's so cute," Alice said, leaning on her elbows.

"But it's gonna be lame if he's always too nervous to do anything," Marlene pointed out, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. This morning he kissed me in front of the guys and when they teased him he said that if he wouldn't kiss me in front of them then he wouldn't get to kiss me as often as he wanted," after a chorus of 'aww' I added, "I'm pretty sure he just apologized because I hadn't asked him out yet."

Mary wrinkled her nose, "You asked him out?"

I rolled my eyes, "Mary, in case you haven't noticed in the past four years, I've never been quite good at waiting for people to give me what I want. If I want it I go for it."

"Well, I can understand that, but, when it comes to dating, I let the guy ask me," Marlene said.

"What else do you that you go for other than dating?" Alice asked, innocent eyes wide.

We blinked at her for a moment before I simply said, "Sex."

"Oh," she said going red.

"It's not always sex," Marlene protested.

"Speaking of," I said, turning to her, " _someone_ wants to show you how much he's improved since the last time you dated."

"Oh? Who?"

"Someone with good hair and a huge ego."

"That's like, half the guys I dated."

"Ok, someone who's on a quidditch team. Someone who likes to start rude rhymes up about the opposite teams."

She thought for a moment before she snapped her head at me, "Black?"

I nodded. She made a face.

"I just thought I'd warn you. Now let me see your schedules." We piled our bright papers in the middle of our circle.

"You're taking Arithmancy?"

"Yeah, I like it. Look, Lily is too."

"Well, Lily's a bit of a nerd."

"Hey! Just you wait until you need some help on your Ancient Runes homework."

"Oh, hey, Peter's taking Runes I think. I wonder if you'll have it together."

"Please, Merlin, no."

"Ew, we have History of Magic first thing Monday mornings."

"And potions first thing Tuesday and Thursday."

We chatted about our schedules and what we'd heard about various classes until dinner.

I slid into my customary seat in between James and Sirius.

Someone walked by and called, "Wow, I never thought James and Sirius would let a bird come between them."

"Wow, never heard that one before," I said, rolling my eyes and buttering a roll.

"They're lucky you're eating. You normally go of when other people call you bird, Bird," Sirius commented.

"She goes off on us plenty too, Sirius," Remus reminded him, passing Peter the potatoes.

"Can I see your schedules?" I asked through a mouth of chicken.

"Here's mine, I charmed the others onto mine in different colors. Go ahead and add yours."

I took it and tapped it, adding blue words to it. "As usual, we have everything together except for our second elective. Remus, we do have Arithmancy together. Sirius and James are taking muggle studies?"

"Well, no member of the Black family has ever taken it," Sirius explained.

"And I have to be there to help him cause trouble," James added.

"Oh, poor Raf…"

We went over our after dinner plan.

"What if he doesn't go to the library?" Peter asked.

"Pete, look over my shoulder. You should be able to see Snivillus."

"Ok, I see him," Peter said, confused.

"Now who else is talking to him?"

"Let's see, Mulciber and Avery are on either side of him, but he's not looking at them…oh! Lily's over there!"

"Exactly. I'll bet you three sugar quills she told him to meet her after her rounds."

"Alright, I'll get the cloak after dinner and meet you in the hall," James told me.

"And Remus will come in after we see James move to the side of the door cause that'll be the signal that he's done."

"So, James, grab the map when you grab the cloak."

"Gotcha."

"And the spell is?"

He rolled his eyes, " _Call dolor Severus, call dolor Sev_. You made me repeat it enough, Remus."

"Well, _call dulcis Severus/Sev_ would make anyone who called him by his name think he's really sweet. The more they call him, the more potential they have to fall in love with him. You want that to happen?"

James's stricken face was answer enough.

After dinner, and after James grabbed the cloak and gave the map to Sirius, we walked to the library together. I opened the door, pushing is just a little too hard so it stayed open long enough for James to squeeze in close behind me.

I immediately led him past Madame Pince to the Dark arts research books (no actual spells, just what spells did and who identified them or some counter curses). Snape tended to spend his time in that section or the potions section.

As I expected, Snape was at a table full of large dusty books. Not wanting to be obvious, I started scanning shelves. Pretending to look for a book, I meandered closer to our target until I was almost behind him, and his chair was in the way of me continuing.

"Excuse me," I said, as he still hadn't noticed me, pretending I was engrossed in the shelves. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him stiffen.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Marauder's bitch," he sneered.

I glared at him, "I don't belong to them. I'm the Marauder Bitch if anything."

"Well at least we can agree that you're a bitch, Sabine."

I turned fully towards him, crossing my arms, "My name's Avon, you prat."

"You were born into the pureblood Sabine family. You might be a blood traitor and go by your filthy muggle mother's name, but that won't make it yours."

I almost forgot that we were in the middle of a prank. He knew how to get under my skin. "At least my mother isn't as filthy as your disgusting, greasy hair," I said flipping the end of his hair into his sallow face before he could move away from me. I made a show of wiping off my fingers on my robes.

Rather than fumble for a comeback, Snape stood and whipped out his wand and I followed suite. He cast the first hex, and I was careful to cast the counter curse rather than dodge and risk harming the books. We cast jinxes and hexes back and forth, he got a horn growing hex past me, but I got him with a bat bogey hex when he laughed with glee.

I had just cast a jelly leg jinx when I heard " _Protego_!" from behind me as a barrier came between us, deflecting my jinx and making me counter it before it hit me or the books. I turned to see Remus stalking towards us. I had honestly forgotten he was supposed to come get me.

"Alchemy, Snape, I know you hate each other, but I thought you two each had respect for the books!" he chastised. He grabbed my arm and jerked me away, leaning to the side so my antlers wouldn't hit him.

As I was dragged away, Snape called, "Not going to take points from your mates, Lupin?"

Remus stopped. "Five points from Gryffindor," he said calmly, and I stared at him, that wasn't part of the plan. Snape smirked until Remus added, "And five from Slytherin."

"What?!"

"You were part of that duel as much as she was."

"She started it!"

"I did not! You taunted me _and_ you cast the first jinx!"

"I did no—."

"I don't care who started it. I can't prove who started it and I can't believe either of you," he glanced at me, "At least, not without being accused of favouritism."

Without waiting for either of us to say anything, Remus released the shield and dragged me out of the library.

We didn't stop until we made it to the common room, though Remus did let go of my arm.

I pranced into the common room and Sirius barked a laugh when he saw the antlers that were well worth the small headache I was getting.

"Hey! I'm the one who has the antlers!" James declared with a laugh.

I grinned, "Come on, Prongs, grab your camera and let's take a picture together!"

After a mini photo shoot, Remus tapped my head and the antlers fell off.

"We have got to mount these and hang them on your dorm wall," I said with a laugh.

"So how'd it go? You get him with anything?" Sirius asked as I settled next to him on a couch, throwing my legs on his lap.

"Got him with a good bat bogey and almost got him with a jelly legs, but Remus came in and cast a shield. By the way, you didn't have to take points away, Moony."

"You took points?" James complained.

"I did have to, actually. But really, it was almost worth it for Snape's face when I took points from Slytherin too."

I laughed, "Yeah it was pretty nice."

I ran up to my room and got a bag of muggle craft supplies, and settled back into my place with my legs propped on Sirius's. Remus had fetched a book and had curled up impossibly small in an armchair, Sirius was reading a quidditch magazine, and Peter and James were arguing about something or another.

"What're you making, Al?" Sirius asked, looking up from an article on the Chudley Cannon's losing streak.

I held up a mass of silver wire that looked kind of like a stick figure deer. "This one is gonna be stag. I'm also going to make a dog, a rat, a bat, and a wolf."

He grinned, "Make the stag look stupid."

"No, make the dog look ugly," James said, breaking off from his argument.

"How can the dog be ugly? He's got to have really nice hair."

I rolled my eyes and wrapped wire around to give the stag more shape, grinning in spite of the stupid argument they were having.

"Oh, Al, that's starting to look so pretty," Lily's voice came to me, leaning over my shoulder.

James looked at her, his cheeks a little pink at Lily's accidental complement.

"Can you make me something?"

"Sure, pick an animal."

"How about a doe?" James interrupted.

Lily frowned at James suggestion; she said, "I think I'd like a kitten."

"But, Lily, you're so much like a doe!"

"Not as much as you're like an arrogant toe rag, Potter."

"Yes, but toe rags aren't animals," Remus mused without looking up.

"Remus! Why doncha tell her I'm not a toe rag?"

"Because all the other words I can think of are much worse and it'd be a bad example for a prefect to use them."

"We all know you've got a filthy mouth," Sirius said suggestively.

"Oh, come off it, there's no way Remus curses. At least not often," Lily said with her brow furrowed.

"You should hear him when Sirius takes his chocolate," Peter squeaked.

"Or when James spells his books to stay shut unless he guesses the password."

"Or when he stubs his toe on Peter's trunk 'cause it always sticks out at a weird angle."

"Or when Al and Sirius get into pun wars."

"Or when Sirius charms his books to fly around the castle."

"Or when James keeps talking about Lily past midnight when Remus wants to sleep."

"Or when Al and Sirius stay up late and wake him up."

"Or when he's really hungry."

"Or when we get caught in the rain."

"Or when Al gets crumbs on his bed."

"Or when Peter throws his dirty clothes across the dorm."

"Or—"

"Ok, ok, I get it!" Lily finally interrupted, "I still have a hard time believing it though."

"Lily, you know how annoyed you get by them if you spend ten minutes with them. I spend the majority of my time with them," Remus said drily.

"Good point," Lily said over our chorus of, "Hey!"

She laughed, and, for his sake, I'm glad Lily didn't notice James staring at her longingly.

"Well, I'd best be off, I told Sev I'd meet him after my rounds."

James made a face, while the rest of us tried not to laugh.

"Tell him thanks for the antlers. They were a great laugh."

"What?" she asked me, clearly confused.

"Don't worry about it. He'll understand," I said with a mischievous grin. If Lily got what had happened out of him—which she normally could—she'd fuss at him. She'd fuss at me too, but I don't have a huge crush on her, so it typically doesn't bother me like it does James or Snape.

The rest of the night passed in peace—or at least what passes as peace around us. I abandoned the stag for the moment and made Lily's kitten before Sirius, bored of his magazine, charmed my coloured wires to wiggle, snake-like through the air. Laughing, I snatched up my wand and leaped from couch to chair to table around the room, spelling my wire into neat coils that obediently wrapped around my wrist, to everyone's amusement.

One wiggled itself into Marlene's hair and she shrieked and wiggled around. I winked at Sirius and leapt past her to stand in the middle of a chess board to get one above the mantle. Sirius grinned and ran his fingers through her hair, coaxing my wire out, still wiggling. Marlene glared at him, though she blushed in spite of herself. After all, even most guys admitted that Sirius was attractive. I think he turned a sixth year gay by skinny dipping with James in the lake after our year end tests. I plucked my wire away from him, and left him to try and flirt.

Peter was consulting Sirius's magazine, and I dropped the still squirming wire down the back of his shirt. He squealed and squirmed on the floor as everyone turned, laughing. James even scooped up his camera and snapped a picture. The wires on my wrist wiggled free and I looked up to see Remus slipping his wand back into his sleeve. Soon, all the wire was tickling Pete, causing the rest of us to laugh as much as he was.

James set all the books in the room to flutter like birds around the common room, including the one Remus held, much to his dismay. In retaliation, half of my wire wiggled out of Peter's shirt and knotted themselves in James's hair.

Lily returned, looking ready to chastise someone (probably me), only to be greeted by Peter's shrill giggles, James's curses as he tried to detangle his hair, Sirius and Marlene leaning conspiratorially close, Remus and me standing on tables catching flying books, and the majority of the tower dying of laughter. Remus was the first to notice Lily, and he nudged me, pointing. Lily was standing, hands fisted by her sides, glowering at the scene before her.

"Whoever spelled those books up there had best get them down before I take points away before classes have even started," she said, clear voice silencing all but Peter.

James sheepishly raised his wand and the books settled on the table by my feet, and Remus pulled me down before Lily could yell at us for standing on the table. Sirius ran his hand through his hair, frowning at Lily over his shoulder.

"Come on, Evans, we're only playing around. The books aren't any worse off, and everyone had a laugh."

"Black, unless you want me to personally follow you and interrupt every _interaction_ you attempt to have, shut it."

Sirius would have said more, but Marlene gave him a look that shut him up. Presumably because she didn't want Lily interrupting his interactions for her own personal reasons.

Remus silently called my wire out of Peter's shirt and it coiled itself neatly in its container, and I went to help James get the wire out without yanking his hair out. By the time Lily finished lecturing us (us being the Marauders), I was on the last piece of wire. I pulled it loose with a triumphant grin, only to look up into Lily's disapproving face.

"Ally, you lot are looked up to by so many of the younger kids; can't you be a better influence?"

I rolled my eyes, "A, we wouldn't be nearly as popular if we were a good influence. B, we are a great influence; we remind kids not to get too stressed out and take time to laugh. C, you know that this isn't nearly as bad as we can be."

"As a prefect, I'm trying to keep you lot in control from the start. If you can't goof off now, you won't late—"

She was interrupted by Sirius's barking laugh, though it was quickly followed by Peter's high pitched giggles, James's smothered laugh, Remus's low chuckle, and my squeaks in between silent giggles. She frowned, and I tried to apologize, but I couldn't get the words out.

"Ah, Lily, nothing can stop the Marauders. Sirius would sooner make amends with his family," James said with a grin.

"And James would sooner quit chasing you," Sirius added, stretching lazily next to me, kicking James who was leaning against my legs.

"And the both of them would rather beg Sni—Snape for a blow job," I said, catching myself in time to avoid a lecture on inappropriate or degrading nicknames.

"Ally! Oh and speaking of Sev, I got out of him what you meant about the antlers."

"Oh?" I said, feigning innocence far too dramatically.

"Yes. I can't believe you started a row with him. And calling his mum a slag? That's hardly better than joking that you'd be interested in him then turning your nose up. It's almost no wonder he hexed you after all that! I really thought better of you, Alchemy."

"Hold up now! I did _not_ say _any_ of that shite—"

"Ally, language!"

Ignoring her, I went on, "I was scanning books and when I said 'excuse me' he called me 'The Marauder's Bitch' and 'Sabine' and called Mum a 'filthy muggle'. I said 'at least she's not as filthy as your greasy hair' and he sent a jinx my way. I didn't start anything. I was just planning on ending it if Remus hadn't interrupted."

"That bastard," Remus muttered, surprising everyone. When he noticed everyone staring at him he explained, "Donnie is one of the sweetest women I know. No one should ever be rude to her. Even after all she's probably heard about Snape, I bet she'd still give him a smile and offer him a biscuit."

I laughed and nodded, "Yeah it takes a lot to make Mum mad." I didn't realizing I was touching the shoulder Carter bruised until Sirius's hand covered mine.

Lily looked shocked, "No, he wouldn't do anything like that…"

I looked her in the eye, "Wow, did you even think to say that to Snivillus when he accused me of being a bitch pretending to try and shag him?"

She winced and looked away, "Ally…"

I knew she hadn't meant anything, but my quick temper didn't care. I stood up and breezed by her as she tried to backtrack. I got one of the books Sirius got me and sat next to him, swinging my legs up onto his lap and ignoring Lily who was still standing there looking apologetic. Eventually, she whispered an apology and walked away.

"You know that wasn't fair, Al," James said quietly.

"You know I already hate myself for doing that to her."

"Why don't you not get mad then?" Peter asked naively.

I raised an eyebrow at him, "Alright, and while I'm at it, how about me and Moony each quit having out times of the month?"

He blushed slightly at the mention of my period, "But you can't stop those things."

"Yup."

"Give her a break, guys," Sirius said in my defense, "She's been getting better at controlling it, and you know it. A year ago she and Lily would've gotten into a fight so loud the Slytherins would be able to hear it in the dungeons. Plus, she purposefully got a book so she could calm down."

He was right, I got the book so I could distract myself from the anger. Lily was used to being loud and angry and get into arguments, but I was too good at getting under other people's skin. _Besides,_ I though guiltily, _I knew that asking the question then ignoring her would hurt her more because she couldn't get angry or argue._

Sighing, I dropped the book on my face and let my arm flop by James. I felt a lick on my arm, but I ignored it. Then the lick became a bite and I yelped and sat up, glaring at James.

"Being sad doesn't suit you, Bird. Evans won't hold it against you."

"Doesn't change it the fact that I tend to act like a manipulative bitch when my temper gets the best of me."

"You aren't a bitch. If you want to know what a bitch looks like, look at my cousin Bella. Or my Mum," Sirius said, taking my book and flipping through it.

"Just apologize, Bird," Peter said, "She'll always forgive you."

Normally, I wouldn't take advice from a guy whose version of asking a girl out is pranking her then offering her sweets, but in this case he had a point. I found Lily reading next to Alice at a small table. She didn't look at me, so I set the little wire kitten on the table and tapped it with my wand. She stretched and batted the wire ball of yarn she was posed with over onto Lily's book and pounced on it. After playing for a bit, she yawned and curled back up around the yarn.

Lily looked up at me and I smiled apologetically, and she smiled back. I sat down and asked her about her book. We would've kept talking late into the night, but she insisted that we go to bed early because of class tomorrow. I tried to excuse myself by saying that I had to talk to the boys, but Lily dragged me upstairs before I could.

I waited until I was sure they were asleep, then stole out of room in my giant nightshirt and shorts, my calloused feet moving silently over the worn boards.


	8. Chapter 8: House Pride

I whispered _alohamora_ and slipped into the boys' room moments later. They looked up from watching Sirius's queen demolish Peter's knight.

"Watcha, Al?" James asked, "Did Lily send you with a message?"

"No, and careful; if she hears you calling her 'Lily' she'll chew you out and hex you into next Sunday."

"I know," he sighed.

I grinned and tossed the copy of _Witch Weekly_ at Sirius's face. He caught it easily and raised his eyebrow at me.

"Page twenty-two."

He flipped to the page and grinned.

The next morning, I ran down to breakfast, hair still wet, to slide into my seat. James looked at me surprised as I started stuffing food into my face.

"Wow, you usually aren't this energetic for a couple hours."

"Don' 'ave much time t' eat 'f I don' hurry," I mumbled through a full mouth, "Thanks, 'oony," I added when Remus dried my hair for me.

I chugged my coffee as Sirius roused himself from his half-asleep state as he winked at Marlene who had been looking at him as he climbed up on the table.

Pointing his wand at his throat he boomed, "Welcome back to Hogwarts, beautiful ladies! And, blokes, welcome back to you too, I suppose. On behalf of the Magnificent Marauders, I wish you a merry start to a merry school year!"

He waved his wand over the student body, and I roared in laughter as they looked at each other to see everyone's hair go red and gold. Remus tapped my shoulder and pointed up at the teacher's table and I started crying I was laughing so hard. Professor Dumbledore's long white beard was red with gold polka dots, and he looked quite amused. McGonagall on the other hand looked quite furious about her gold hair and red bun.

"Mr. Black!" McGonagall yelled shrilly, "Ms. Avon! Mr. Potter! Mr. Pettigrew! Mr. Lupin! To my office! Now!"

Sirius bounded off the table calling, "You're welcome, darlings! You all look fabulous!" as we strutted out of the Great Hall with wide grins for anyone who threw insults at us or glared.

Sirius was finger combing his gold streaked red hair with his feet propped up on McGonagall's desk.

"You know, I think this looks rather nice," I said, holding up my gold ends.

"Speak for yourself," Remus said, looking in Sirius's pocket mirror. He had gotten gold roots while the rest of his wispy hair was bright red.

"Yeah, the red is too bright for you, Moony. It makes your face look a little sallow. If it was reversed it might look alright."

"Sirius Black, kindly get your feet off my desk and get out of my chair," McGonagall said as she entered, her hair back to its normal dark brown color.

"Anything for you, Minnie. Though I am disappointed that you changed your hair back. You looked quite lovely."

"Mr. Black, you will call me 'professor' unless you want me to double whatever punishment I assign you lot."

"What do you mean 'you lot'? I'm the only one who did anything."

"If I have learned anything about you five, it's that when one of you is involved, you all are involved."

"Yes, but can you prove it? What if I just spontaneously decided everyone needed a makeover?"

"And how did you locate the spell?"

"I read it in my ex-girlfriend's copy of _Witch Weekly_."

"Wait, you already broke up with her?" I asked.

"Jeez, Padfoot, it hasn't even been a week has it?" James added.

"Ms. Avon, Mr. Potter, we are not here to discuss Mr. Black's dating habits."

"Sorry, Professor, it was just a bit of a shock. Especially since Sirius almost always gets into long committed relationships," I said with a straight face.

She gave me a disapproving look as the boys sniggered.

"Really, Ms. Avon, I will never understand why you and Mr. Lupin get involved in all this. You two could be such excellent students."

"I feel like we should be insulted," James said, looking between Sirius and Peter.

"I have accept that you three aren't going to shape up. Now, the punishment will be cleaning the entire trophy room. The more of you that confess, the less time it will take you."

"Well, that'll take me quite a while then," Sirius said, hands behind his head, "since I was the only one."

"Oh, lay off it, Padfoot. Your ex didn't give you the article, I did."

"And it was my idea in the first place," James lied.

"I um—I helped too!" Peter eloquently put in.

Remus sighed, "Well, I might as well join in. It'll go faster at least."

"Don't bother, Remus. You didn't help us out; you shouldn't have to go through the punishment," I said.

"Yeah, it wouldn't look good for a prefect to confess to our crime," Sirius added with a meaningful look at Remus.

"You claim that Mr. Lupin had nothing to do with this prank?"

"We planned it after he went to bed."

"He already said that he would try to stop all our pranks because he was a prefect."

McGonagall didn't look like she believed us, but, given her soft spot for the raggedy, lanky werewolf, she let it slip, "Very well, you may watch over their punishment with Ms. Evans. I believe you all have History of Magic together, give her this," she handed him a note, "The detention will be served tonight after dinner until curfew as many nights as it takes for the trophy room to be spotless to Mr. Filch's satisfaction."

"Can't it be someone else's satisfaction?" Peter whined, "Filch hates us!"

"Well then you know you'll have to work extra hard," McGonagall told him sternly, dismissing us.

We strutted through the doors to History of Magic (or, rather, Sirius, James, and I strutted while Remus tried to pretend that he didn't know us and Peter scurried to his seat). Remus handed Lily the note and took his seat behind her. I squeezed Raf's hand before settling in the dark corner with Sirius right beside me, both of us laying our heads down before Professor Binns could even start to teach.

I woke up to James pulling my chair back from my desk, "Come on, you two, it's time for Charms."

"Yeah, yeah," I grumbled, stretching, "You might want to wake up sleeping beauty," I said nodding at Sirius.

"Yeah, Pron's, Wa' m' 'p wit' a kiss," Sirius mumbled, turning so his lips were free.

James started to splutter and I leaned over Sirius. He puckered his lips and said, "Wow, Pron's I didn' thin' you'd d' 't."

But rather than kiss him I yelled, "WAKE UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY!"

He jolted up, eyes wide, much to James's amusement.

"What the fuck, Bird?!" he yelled at me.

"Hey, it could be worse," I said as I grabbed my bag and led everyone out of the classroom, "You know in the original fairytale Princess Briar Rose was raped and had to give birth to twins before she was woken up."

"I like sex, and I can't get pregnant, so that doesn't sound too bad."

"Ok, well how about I shove a dildo up your arse next time you won't wake up, then?" James suggested.

"Why, Potter, I didn't know that's the kind of thing you were into," a familiar voice put in.

"Lil—Evans!" James shouted, spinning around and almost knocking over a second year. "No, I'm not! It was—we were joking! Sirius—Al—they—"

"I honestly couldn't care less," she said, flipping her gold gilded hair over her shoulder, "I just wanted to tell you two that you won't be allowed to work next to each other. I want to be out as soon as possible."

"Only if I can work near you, Evans," James said flirtatiously.

"If you stop working to talk to me then I'll move away," she warned.

"Deal!"

I waited until she was out of ear shot then spoke very quietly since my voice carried easily, "In all seriousness—no Sirius, that's not what I meant—we do need to work hard and fast. Filch is bound to make us do it at least twice, and we only have a week until," I pulled my ear in our silent signal.

"Merlin, I didn't realize it was that soon. Alright, no problem."

"Why didn't he remind us?"

"He still thinks it's an inconvenience to us. Especially since it hasn't been long since we could go with him."

Our conversation was abruptly cut off and we walked into Charms only moments before Flitwick started his lecture. I was a little sad to see that he had switched his hair back to normal, but I had expected all the teachers to. I gave a jaunty grin to the Ravenclaws who chose to glare at us with their brightly colored hair. It seemed none of them had figured out the counter charm (the magazine said to let it fade naturally, which takes around 12 hours).

The rest of our classes passed in a similar fashion. The only bad time we had was when Avery, Mulciber, Snivillus, and Regulus tried to corner us before dinner, faces red and furious beneath their red and gold locks. However, I saw them coming and cast a jelly leg jinx their way before they could get us, and we laughed as they tripped and collided with each other as their legs spasmed beneath them.

"How fitting that your brother's hair was the exact opposite of yours, Sirius," Remus said as we slid into our seats.

"Well, even if he is a little git, he still has my charm and looks."

"Black!" Marlene practically yelled from behind Sirius, hands on hips.

He made a face towards us before turning to her, "Yes, sweet marmalade?" he said as we tried not to laugh.

"I'm not your sweet anything, Sirius! You dated me, you know my rule. You don't fuck with the hair."

I couldn't figure out why Marlene was complaining; she looked great with her gold hair with its red under layer.

"But, Marlene, you look beautiful, just as always," he looked down as if embarrassed, "Actually I hoped that this would show you that you don't need to focus so much on your hair or anything else to be enchanting," he gave her a small smile.

"Cut the bull shite, Sirius, the game might be easier for me, but I still play. I can tell when I'm being led on."

He chuckled, "Alright, fair enough. But really, you do look hot. Totally shaggable."

She rolled her eyes, but I noticed her neck reddening just slightly as she returned to her seat.

"Oh Merlin! Al, look at Dumbles!" Peter squeaked, giggling.

I took one look at the teachers table and burst into a fit of giggles. Dumbledore had left his beard dyed bright red and gold and he'd even removed his cap to show off the rest of his normally white hair.

"Oh, Merlin, I hope he wears his hair like that for quidditch games," James added.

I ate quickly then excused myself to tell Lily that we wanted to head over to the Trophy Room as soon as we could eat some dessert. She raised an eyebrow, but didn't question our newfound motivation.

When we got there, Remus held his hand out and the four of us settled our wands into it, and we shed our robes, rolled up our sleeves, and picked up brushes and buckets. I worked faster than the boys since I wasn't used to be able to use magic to clean anyway. Though, due to all our detentions, the boys had gotten pretty good at it.

We made it about a quarter of the way before Lily said that it was time to head up. I groaned and cracked my back loudly before standing and dusting off my knees which had the imprint of the stone floor etched in.

"I have got to remember to buy knee pads or something."

"Why, Al, do you really spend that much time on your knees?" Sirius asked all too innocently.

"Not nearly as much as you do. By the way, Mulciber sends his love."

Sirius sighed, "He's getting rather stalker-y. He needs to understand that I sucked him off with my mouth—not my heart. I don't belong to him."

"Can you lot please save the sexual jokes until I'm gone?" Lily sighed.

"Oh! That reminds me, what happened with Gloria Little?" I asked.

"She started dropping hints about the type of things she'd want for her birthday in a couple weeks. All expensive of course."

"And Sirius Black doesn't do presents for girls. Present Bird excluded," James put in.

"But she probably saw the nice stuff you got us and thought you'd be loose with your money for a shag," Remus guessed.

"I guess. But it really wasn't a big deal to me. She wasn't very good anyway. Used too much teeth when she went down on me," Sirius mused, causing Lily to turn scarlet and tried to rush past us.

Feeling bad for James, I looped my arm around her waist, "Come on, Lily, He's not even being graphic. You can still walk with us."

She muttered darkly, but she stayed with us.

"So, Evans," James said, and Sirius and I grinned at each other, "What do you think about going to Hogsmeade? It's scheduled for the weekend quidditch tryouts are posted; we can celebrate my position."

"I'd sooner take Sirius's place on my knees in front of Mulciber," Lily said without even looking at him, causing the rest of us to try to stifle giggles.

"Oh Merlin, someone get that image out of my mind," James said, making retching sounds.

"Just picture yourself in Mulciber's place," Sirius said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

James blushed, trying to keep a straight face while Lily started telling Sirius off.

"Not like we don't hear him imagining that enough," Remus muttered in my ear, "He really needs to learn how to use a silencing charm properly."

I tried to stifle a giggle, but Lily heard us and rounded on me.

"Ally, you should be against this too! The objectification of women for men's sexual gratification should not be acceptable, let alone joked about! We are people too, there's no reason we should have to accept the idea of men thinking of us in compromising positions while they please themselves!"

I raised my eyebrows, "I think they know we're people Lily. Otherwise imagining us in compromising position would be really gross and kinky."

"Alchemy! You know what I meant!"

"Women objectify men just as much, Lily. What do you think you're doing when you salivate over the guys in my quidditch magazines? Or what Marlene does when it's been too long since she's had a date? The only difference is that we're more subtle and the opposite sex doesn't realize we do it as much," I shrugged, "When women stop objectifying men, I'll get annoyed that they objectify us in that way. Besides, these four treat women more like humans than most in our year. Even Sirius. So long as they still respect us I frankly don't give a damn."

Lily blushed, "But that…it…we don't…they…"

I grinned and gave the Fat Lady the password, "If you come up with an argument, I'll be playing gobstones with the boys."

The rest of the night went on normally with us laughing and joking obnoxiously loud and getting told off halfheartedly. We played until late and James passed out a few butterbeers he had filched. Remus sent me up to bed when he noticed that I was laying on my magazine with half closed eyes rather than reading it.


	9. Chapter 9: Time of the Month

It felt like I had barely collapsed into my bed before I woke to Marlene's rough shaking. I groaned and dragged myself into the shower, leaning heavily against the wall. I stumbled down to breakfast with half closed eyes and grunted gratefully when I felt a mug of coffee being pressed firmly into my hand.

I fumbled blindly for some toast and Sirius grunted in his sleep as I brushed his hair accidentally. Remus shook his shoulder softly.

"Padfoot, if you don't eat now you'll get angry before lunch," he said in his motherly voice. Remus was a better mum to Sirius than his Mrs. Black had ever tried to be.

Sirius propped himself up on his arm, eyes still closed, and I set a muffin in his outstretched hand. He shoved the whole thing in his mouth, chewed briefly, swallowed, and chugged a cup of pumpkin juice before laying his head back down. This time I joined him.

We didn't lay there long before Remus and James hauled us to our feet and led us to potions. I settled in next to Lily and laid my head on the desk.

"Ally, just because we aren't brewing today doesn't mean you can sleep," Lily gently chided.

"Slug's always late for morning classes. I'll sit up when he gets here."

I had almost fifteen full minutes to lay there before Slughorn pushed through the door.

Potions droned on, but Transfiguration was slightly better, even if she did assign us a two foot essay the very first day. Our afternoon classes _were_ boring until Peter accidently set off a dung bomb in the middle of Charms, causing us all to get out early so we could take showers.

After scrubbing most of the unpleasant odor away, I met Raf down by the lake for a bit before going to practice for the quidditch tryouts. A few of our teammates from last year were there as well, so we played a mini match with two chasers and one beater on each side. Our old keeper had graduated, so we recruited two nearby hopefuls. We played for a couple hours until dinner time (James and Sirius's team won, but I think their keeper was better).

Once again we ate quickly and called Lily away to the trophy room and worked until curfew. Then we hung out in the common room. Occasionally, Remus and I would do our homework and Remus would help the others or I'd let them copy mine.

The rest of our week went by in the same manner. After another two and a half days, we had finished the Trophy Room, but Filch decided that the trophies didn't have enough shine, so we spent another two days re-polishing everything carefully, leaving him no room to refute our work.

Sunday night we collapsed on couches and chairs, stretching and popping backs, legs, and arms.

"Oh, Moony, look in the front pocket of my bag. I got something for you," I said, pointing at my bag that I had thrown on the middle of the floor.

Remus was the least stiff of us as he hadn't been cleaning, but he still looked sore and tired as he reached for my bag. He pulled out a bar of Honeyduke's finest dark chocolate, looking surprised, "For me?"

"Why do you always look so surprised? You like chocolate around your time of the month as much as I do."

"And it's not like she hasn't been giving you some form of chocolate every month since we sorted it all out," James put in.

"And then you give her chocolate or a massage or something when it's time for hers," Peter added.

Remus grinned and leaned down to give me a hug.

"I always thought she was shagging Black, but looks like it's Lupin after all," a nasty voice floated in from behind us.

"Don't be so hasty, she could be fucking them all for all we know," another disgusting voice chimed in.

I sat up and glared at Trever Boot and Vincent Bell. They seemed to think that by putting down the popular group of trouble makers they might boost their own dwindling popularity.

"I'm a virgin by choice jack-asses; what's your excuse?" I asked them.

"I'll believe that you aren't a slag when I see it," Trevor retorted.

"And how exactly would you see her _not_ sleeping around?" Remus asked, rolling his eyes.

Boot hesitated, so Vincent tried to jump in, "If you defend her, does she let you stick it in her arse?"

"Ok, I know I don't speak wanker, but did that make sense to anyone? Anyone at all?" I asked, raising my voice slightly.

"Well, it has to be hard to make jokes about sex when you can't get a girl to touch you," Sirius reasoned.

"I've shagged more girls than you ever will, Black!" Vincent snapped, and Peter laughed so hard he rolled out of his squishy armchair.

Sirius grinned like someone had just handed him a present. He leapt up on the cushion he had been sprawled on, his voice boomed out, "Excuse me ladies and gentlemen of Gryffindor! Would all the beautiful ladies I've _at least_ snogged please raise their hands for me?"

A good half of the girls in the room raised their hands. Some of them were shy about it, but Mary and Marlene were not among those—they had rolled their eyes, but they still raised their hands high.

"Lovely, now would all the girls who have at least snogged Mr. Bell here please raise their hands?"

Hands were quickly dropped until only his ex-girlfriend's hand was still up, but she added, "But that was as far as he got."

Sirius leaned on the back of the couch, knowing that all eyes were still on the scene. Grinning at Vincent, he said, "So what was that about getting more girls than me, Bell?"

"If you're such a player, get a girl to snog you right now," Trevor challenged in defense of his best friend.

Sirius grinned at the challenge and raised an eyebrow at Marlene. She grinned wickedly, Trevor and Vincent got on her nerves. She beckoned him over, and Sirius climbed over the back of the couch to lift Marlene off the floor and plant a deep solid kiss on her.

They snogged for a couple minutes before I called, "You've proven your point. You should probably either quit or head upstairs."

Marlene smirked at me before disentangling herself from Sirius with his lazy grin and settling back in next to Mary and a scandalized looking Alice.

"I'd challenge you to the same, but Marlene put me in a good mood," Sirius said, settling onto the couch, and tangling his legs with mine.

My cat, Gnat, wandered over and climbed into my lap, purring, and James laughed, "Even Al could get more pussy."

I rolled my eyes, "I could get more of either gender than him if I wanted, but the point is that I don't, Prongs."

Trevor and Vincent took advantage of everyone's attention being on us to slink away to a corner.

"Dude imagine Al making out with Tracy from Ravenclaw," Sirius said, closing his eyes, a dopey grin crossing his face.

"Please stop being absurd," Remus said, with distain in his voice, "We all know Al would be more likely to get together with Marley Dickens from Hufflepuff."

James shook his head, "No you idiots. She'd get with Tess."

"Tessa the chaser?"

"Yup."

"No way," Peter laughed, "You're just jealous Evans would let Al snog her before she'd let you."

"She would not!" James protested.

At that moment, Lily climbed the portrait hole after her rounds.

"Oi! Lily!" I called, "Who has a better chance of snogging you, me or James?"

"You, of course, Ally," she said absent mindedly as she petted Gnat, "I'd shag you before I'd so much as kiss him."

"Hey!" James protested, "I'm not that bad, Evans!"

"She could just be trying to say that she thinks Al would be that great," Peter said thoughtfully.

"Probably would be," Sirius mused, "She's flexible and has a great endurance."

"Depends though, she could be awkward and not know what to do and just kinda get flustered," Remus added.

Sirius looked thoughtful, "That could still be—"

"Ok, I don't need to hear what you think of sleeping with Ally," Lily said before looking at me, "I knew they couldn't see you as one of the guys."

Rather than respond, I looked at Sirius, "What about Moony in bed?"

"I think he'd be a perfect gentleman up until the actual act. Then he'd fuck the girl like a wild animal."

"He'd make sure to focus on her and give her tons of attention and it'd be all sweet, and then, when he let loose, it'd be great for both of them in a different way," James put in.

"All in all, as long as the girl was good with the Jekyll/Hyde act she'd be incredibly happy and enjoy our ickle Moonykins quite thoroughly," Sirius concluded as he beckoned Gnat over to his lap.

"I think they've speculated about how each of us would be in bed except Sirius. Remus thinks that James's silver tongue could be excellent for something _very_ entertaining," I informed her to James's horror.

"And the reason Sirius is excluded is because we don't have to speculate," Remus said dryly as he unwrapped his chocolate.

"He certainly brags enough," Peter added, "And gives waaay too much detail."

"Not my fault I'm the only one whose gotten laid."

"James has been trying to change that, but I doubt he will anytime soon," I giggled as Lily's face tinged red.

"If he expects to lose it to me he certainly won't!" Lily exclaimed before rushing away.

Knowing we would be up late the next night, we all turned in early. I was putting on my night clothes when a green paper crane settled next to Gnat on my pillow. I unfolded it and grinned at Remus's little thank you note for the mug of hot chocolate I had asked Tiddly to leave on his night stand. Hopefully, it would help him sleep through the night, which was always a bit of a problem around this time for him.

In the morning, I dragged myself out of bed, frowning. One of the girls always made sure I actually got to the shower before they left. I glanced at the clock and cursed; if I wanted breakfast, I had to leave now. I ran my fingers through my frizzy mane of hair and sighed when I only made it a few centimetres before running into knots. I pulled my skirt on over my spandex shorts and found a clean camisole. My shirt was wrinkled, but a tap from my wand fixed that for the most part. I wiggled into my socks and shoes before grabbing my robes and bag and running down the stairs.

I didn't run into anyone on my way to the Great Hall, which was odd. No one was grabbing last minute homework, no one was going to class a few minutes early, and no one else was late. The sound of my shoes clopping on the stone floor echoed around me as I ran, desperate, to at least get a gulp of coffee and a muffin.

I got to the Great Hall only to find that the torches were all lit and the ceiling showed a clouded night sky. I frowned, had I misread the clock? I had sworn it was time to wake up. And if it really was still night time, where had my room mates been? Their beds were empty and made.

I turned to go back to the dorm, thinking, if nothing else, I could get the map from Remus's night stand he and James had transfigured into a desk. In the darkness, I almost ran smack into the tall figure in front of me. He didn't even seem to notice me though; he was focused on something on the floor in front of him. I peered around him and started.

Liam was on the floor, shirt torn, eye bloody, and shivering as he gripped his ribs. I wanted to convince myself it was the Slytherin boy, to convince myself it wasn't my brother, but I couldn't pretend I didn't know those pretty blue eyes that were filling with tears.

"Liam!" I cried and made to move to him, to hug him or heal him or get him away from whoever hurt him, but a burly fist slammed into my side and I fell to the side, barely catching myself from sprawling out like my brother.

I turned to face my assailant and my face blanched. The man was tall with wide shoulders and muscular arms. He was clean-cut handsome; I've always had to admit it, even though he looked so imposing and harsh, his angular jaw and sharp eyes had made him popular with the ladies, or so I'd been told. Carter looked down his long straight nose at me and all of a sudden I felt like I was eleven again, coming home after my first year of Hogwarts to see the man who raised me telling me that I was a disgusting freak unworthy to call him Dad ever again.

I raised my chin anyway and met his eyes squarely, clenching my fists, digging my nails into my palm to take my focus off my fear.

"Don't touch my son with your filthy hands," he said in a cool, even voice.

"At least my hands are always gentle," I said, proud that my voice was hard and strong.

"It will make him into a stronger man. Without me there, his mother has let him be soft."

"Mum's let him be a kid!"

He strode forward impossibly fast and wrapped a hand around my neck and slammed my against the wall, "She is not your mother, little bitch. Your disgusting mother is dead. I only wish she had taken you with her to Hell."

Liam suddenly grabbed Carter's arm, and Carter threw him off. Liam tripped and his head made a sickening crack on the rough floor.

"Liam!" I half screamed half squeaked as Carter's hand tightened on my throat.

He leaned in close to me, blocking my view of Liam's painfully still body as his father's foul drunken breath filled my nose and throat as I gasped for air.

"Look what you made me do," he growled, "This is your fault. This is all your fault!"


	10. Chapter 10:Another Day Another Nightmare

I jerked upright, tearing the blanket from around my neck and gasping deeply. I was shaking and sweaty, but I was safe. Liam was safe. It was just a nightmare. Carter never had and never would set foot in the castle. If I was never safe anywhere else I was safe here, and I felt a pang of sadness Liam couldn't be here with me. But then again, he'd always been safe. Carter had never hurt his own flesh and blood.

I knew I wouldn't be able to go back to sleep, so I stood on trembling legs and made my way silently down to the common room. The fire was low, casting a dim light around the room. I wrapped my arms around myself and settled into my favourite plush armchair. I wished it wasn't so close to the full moon. I wanted to go banging into their room and let Remus run his fingers through my hair like Donnie did when I was little. I wanted James and Sirius to tell my funny stories and stupid jokes while Peter broke into his secret candy stash (that we all knew about) and offer me sweets.

We all have our scars, our nightmares. We're always there for each other when we can't bear it alone any longer. I've never asked them to be there for me. I've never had to, just as Remus doesn't have to ask me to buy him chocolate once a month. Just like Sirius never asked me to call his mum the most colorful string of curses I could come up with as I wrapped his cuts and burns with gentle hands and sharp words. Even if this Voldemort wasn't trying to wreck the naïve image of happiness I'd had as a girl, our lives would not be easy. But it becomes so much easier when you have good mates that would shield you from your pain with their own bodies if they could. I don't know who I'd be if Sirius hadn't made a joke teasing me on my first day; if I'd never befriended those four boys, but I'm sure I never want to find out.

A hand came down on my shoulder, and I jumped violently, curling my legs to my chest in a feeble form of defense. I blinked up at the dark figure, my eyes adjusting slowly from the light of the fire to the darkness surrounding us.

"Al, it's only me," a deep voice murmured as James reached for my shoulder again.

I relaxed into the chair, letting out a breath I hadn't known I was holding. "Sorry, James, I was thinking, I didn't hear you. Why are you awake?"

"I could ask you the same," he said, propping himself on the armrest.

"Well, yes, but you didn't."

He grinned, "Remus is asleep, but he's tossing and turning something awful and he's whimpering. Sirius and I couldn't sleep. He's up there in Moony's bed trying to comfort him without waking him." I nodded, it wasn't the first time. "What about you?"

"Nightmare," I said, and I didn't need to say anything more. James wrapped his arm around me in a half hug before standing and pulling me to a couch. He pulled me down so we were laying side by side on the wide couch. He rubbed my back gently and started telling me wizarding stories, the Tales of Beetle the Bard—stories I never heard as a child. I let my mind drift away from pain and let it settle on James's slight foresty scent and his quidditch strong arms stroking on my spine as I felt the vibrations of his words from his chest.

"You know, you better never let Lily see you with me like this," I said, interrupting a story I was only half listening to.

"Why?"

"She'd never believe you weren't trying to take advantage on me."

"Well, she can believe what she wants then." I snorted. "I mean it. If you need to lay next to me and hear a story, then that's what will happen, regardless of who might be there to see. If they can't understand that you're like my sister more than any of the others then they can go fuck themselves."

I grinned, my heart swelling, but all I said was, "Of course I'm more like a _sister_ than the _boys_ are, James."

"Oh shut it, you know what I mean."

We stayed there, dozing in and out until dawn began to tinge the sky pretty pinks and oranges. We separated up our stairs and I slid silently into my bed for another couple of hours before I woke up again. This time, I was happy to note that I woke to Alice's gentle shaking.

We stuck close to Remus all day, as much for his sake as everyone else's. Remus had a short temper the day of. Alice bumped into him in charms and made him stumble and, when she apologized, he almost made a snide remark that no doubt would have had her in tears before Sirius hit on her and she scurried away.

After that Remus controlled it a little better like he used to before we started helping. We took our break after lunch in the boys' room where Remus collapsed on the nearest bed right next to me.

"Want me to grab a piece of chocolate, Remus?"

He snuggled next to me and held me like a teddy bear and nodded.

"Well it's a little hard with you like that."

"Al, you have magic, idiot," James laughed.

I blinked, "Shut up. _Accio chocolate!_ "

Remus felt better after the chocolate and even managed to snag a quick nap before our afternoon classes.

After dinner, we sat by the lake until sunset chatting about nothing.

"What'd you tell Rafael? Don't you normally hang out with him after Herbology?" Peter asked me.

"I told him that Sirius was going through his weekly midlife crisis and he'd give me hell if I wasn't there for him while he ranted about how horrible women are and how they want too much."

"Hey! They're monthly, not weekly. Plus, you know you're always excluded from that."

"'Any and every bird is fine with me shagging everyone I can, but always thinks she's the special one. I don't have special birds! And why do they all try to change me? Can't they accept that I'm a man whore? I sleep with anyone I want so long as they want it too, so who's it hurt? No one! Birds are just stupid bitches and, if they weren't so damn fun, I'd swear off them!'" Remus quoted.

"Yes, I can see how I'm excluded from all birds. But I can't be special, 'cause you don't have special birds. Particularly as you know I don't think it's good that you sleep around," I said dryly.

"Ok, A, you're Bird and you're special, not a special bird, so you are excluded. B, you don't approve, but you don't try to change me, and you never will unless I want to change. C, you really don't act like a girl," Sirius defended himself.

"Thanks, Padfoot, because I love people speculate whether or not I act feminine enough."

"I think you're just fine the way you are," Peter said, sweetly.

I grinned and gave him a one armed hug, "Thanks, Wormy."

"Wait! I think you're great the way you are too!" Sirius said, looking at me with puppy eyes.

"Aww, Al, I think the puppy's sad he isn't getting all the attention," James teased.

"Well he can get over it!" I laughed, but when I turned back to look at Sirius, Snuffles was looking up at me. "No! You are not going to get a hug just for being a dog! I know it's you, Sirius!" But then he cocked his head and let his tongue stick out and I caved and patted my lap.

The shaggy black dog settled his front paws and head on my thighs as I began to scratch behind his ears. He gave me the smuggest look a dog can give, so I gave him a tiny flick on the tip of his snout. He sneezed and shook at his head. We played fetch for a while before walking back up to the castle.

It was just after dark when the four of us shuffled out under James's cloak. Peter and I were much more compact in our animagus forms, so James and Sirius carried us. Remus had already been led out by Madame Pomfrey. We eventually made it out past a row of trees and James pulled off the cloak.

I squeaked and stretched my leathery red-brown wings and unwrapped my tiny claws from Sirius's long hair and pushed myself up into the air, giving the willow a wide berth. James set Peter down and he disappeared into the grass. As the willow froze, I twisted back into human form and dropped a metre down before sliding down the hole at the base of the tree.

I followed the sound of Peter's scurries through the tunnel until I emerged into the slashed and broken main room.

"Let's be extra careful the first night, alright?" Remus asked us as he stretched nervously.

James started to agree when the first spasm raked through Remus. James and Sirius transformed in anticipation, but I stepped forward to wrap him in a hug. His hands gripped my shoulders just a bit too tightly.

"All…" he growled, "Get back!"

I ignored him until his teeth started sharpening, then I squeezed him once more before transforming back into a bat and flew into the rafters, closing my eyes against Remus's transformation, wishing that I could do the same to my sensitive ears as his screams tore through my small furred body.

Just when I thought I couldn't stand to hear one of my best friends pained yells any more, they turned into snarls and howls. I squeaked, mapping the room by sound. Moony was crouched low, ears back and hackles drawn. Padfoot was almost a mirror image, neither of them moved for an instant, then Moony leaped, only to be shoved to the side by Prongs. Padfoot was at Moony's throat, biting gently to establish dominance.

Moony blinked his amber eyes once, then looked away with a very amused Remus type way. Padfoot sat back with a cheerful bark, and, after the wolf sniffed both the dog and stag, I drifted to the ground and squeaked at him. He looked down his short snout at me and I squeaked again. He sniffed me and I prepared to dart away. Every once in a while, the wolf in Remus thought me or Peter looked like a tasty mouthful.

Apparently, I didn't look like a snack tonight, so I gave Moony a little bat kiss and settled into his fur. Moony may have protested, but Padfoot was nosing Wormtail over to him. Wormtail squeaked nervously, his tail darting around wildly. Moony snuffed and Wormtail squeaked a sigh of relief until Padfoot leapt up and tried to pounce on him. Moony recognized the game and blocked Wormtail's path as he tried to escape. I squeaked in laughter as I was tossed around on his fur. Prongs stood closely by Moony, worried about what would happen if he caught the rat.

We took turns entertaining Moony until the sun finally rose, careful to distract him from tearing at his own flesh. This time I sat in the corner as a human, covering my ears and closing my eyes until the transformation was over.

Exhausted, bruised and worn out, we (and by that I mean James and Sirius) helped Remus up the splintered stairs and collapse on the bed. The bed was easily the cleanest thing in the house. We took turns coming down to neaten up before each full moon. Moony was already asleep by the time I walked around the other side and curled in the middle of the bed. I curled up my legs up and Pads hopped up in dog form to curl at my feet. Prongs settled on my other side, and Wormy wiggled into the crook of my arm as a plump little rat.

I set a muggle alarm clock I had brought up to go off in an hour and we all fell asleep.

An hour later, four of us stumbled through the early dawn light to slip, unnoticed, back into our dormitories; Remus would stay in the shack—he still had another couple of nights of transforming ahead of him. Rather than risk tripping on something and waking my dorm mates, I followed the boys into their room to get a few more precious moments of sleep.

Too soon, a sleepy hand was shaking me awake. I didn't even open my eyes or reach for my glasses as I felt my way to the bathroom. I pushed in and fumbled with the knobs until I was standing in a hot stream of bliss. I didn't have long before Sirius started banging on the door. I dried off and wrapped myself in a towel before giving Sirius free range of the bathroom.

James threw my bag onto his bed and I climbed on it, drawing the curtains to give me the privacy to pull my uniform on. I opened the curtains as I pulled on my knee high socks, and James laughed and sat behind me to fix my hair, which I'm sure looked as if a bat had roosted in it.

We repeated this process every night and morning, until the moon began to wane, and Remus was allowed to stumble in with us. We took him as far to the hospital wing as we could without getting caught, then watched under the cloak to make sure he got in alright. Once, we had just let him go and he had fallen asleep inside a secret passageway and no one could find him until after lunch.

This transformation had gone well, so Madame Pomfrey allowed us to take Remus to breakfast. We half-stumbled down the stairs, desperate to get food after our long nights. Remus was especially ravenous. He disregarded his normally impeccable manners in favour of shoveling everything he could reach into his mouth.

Every time I piled something on my plate, I also spooned some onto Remus's. James kept tapping our goblets in between bites, keeping them full of pumpkin juice. On the first day of the waning moon we moved like clockwork. It was a habit so ingrained in me that I felt lost during the summer months when we didn't get to take care of Remus.

Just before we moved to potions, Sirius reached in his bag for a bar of chocolate and broke it into five pieces and handed them out. We all eagerly took them and Peter said, "Today will be better," far too chipperly, before we popped them into our mouths and stood.

Classes were hell, but it was nothing compared to quidditch practice afterwards. Concepta was mad that three of last year's star players had blown off the first day of training. As we could hardly tell her why, we had to suffer through her grueling drills in silence. Of course, the other participants were hardly silent in their dark muttering and angry glances at us.

Prongs and Padfoot ignored them in favour of joking and racing each other to finish their drills. I, however, glared right back as I was beating almost everyone in almost every drill. If they couldn't make it through drills given by an irritated Concepta, they'd never make it anyway.

I groaned as I settled myself into my seat. Rafael came over from his table to sit with us. Remus was tired and sore, but he was back to his mothering state, even as weak as he still was, scooping macaroni and cheese onto all our plates and telling James off for eating with his hands. Raf kissed me on the forehead and stole a roll off my plate.

Sirius and James froze, staring in horror at the roll my boyfriend had just bitten into. I blinked, and he asked me if I was ok.

"No one steals food from Al," Sirius said in a low voice.

"Peter did once and she nearly hexed him before Remus could calm her down," James added.

Peter nodded sadly, "She wouldn't talk to me for three days after that."

Raf shrugged and buttered another roll for me, setting it right where the other had been. I blinked again, the boys ready to pull me away from Raf, but I just sighed.

"Whatever. I'm too tired and hungry to do anything now."

"Why is it that big of a deal?" Raf asked, frowning, "You have three rolls on your plate and there are plenty on the table."

I sighed, not wanting to explain that I used to get food taken away from me if he thought I was trying to eat them out of house and home and sent to bed without dinner. It hadn't happened all that often anyway. "It's a pet peeve I've had for a long time."

"But we'll never be able to share food," he teased, oblivious to the memories he'd resurfaced.

I grinned softly and leaned into him, "If we ever tried to share a plate, I'd probably end up eating it all before you could get a bite in edgewise."

It was nice having someone who could be close with me and didn't know of all the shite I'd gone through with Carter. It was over; I could move on.

I ate quickly, and Raf laughed, surprised at how much I could put away, but not judging me for it. Dessert came, and we laughed raucously as we decorated Peter's face with whipped cream and chocolate sauce. I even waved cheerfully at Snivillus and Regulus when I saw them looking over in disgust, grinning when I saw Snivilly massage his temples when Avery called for his attention.

Raf invited me to find an empty room to play chess in with him, Eddie, and Marley, but I had homework to do, so I kissed him and followed Remus to the library. I wanted to finish my homework for the rest of the week, so I found a dark, seldom used table for me and Moony to sit at. Remus had to excuse himself for rounds and told me he'd see me back in the common room. I nodded, only half listening as I scrawled a sentence about the importance of wormwood.

I didn't realize how late it had gotten until the candles in the library were all doused. I sighed, figuring that Madame Pince had forgotten to check this corner of the library before locking up and leaving. I checked my watch, it was nearly midnight, and wondered why she had been here so late anyway. I groaned as I stretched and gathered my homework; I could finish my History of Magic essay tomorrow.

I was still stretching and popping my joints when I unlocked the doors and stepped into the silent hallway. I took one echoing step before I cringed and slipped my shoes off. Somehow, I didn't think Filch would appreciate my situation if he caught me out past curfew. My socks slid silently across the floor as I made my way towards the nearest staircase.

The castle was eerily quiet as I swept up the stairs, but I thought I heard a noise back behind me. I whirled around, hand pressing against my wand in the sleeve of my robes if I needed it. I sighed when I saw nothing, feeling silly that I had almost hexed a rat or whatever it had been.

I started to turn when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun away from the strange hand and had my wand pressing up into its owner's chin to force his head up before I recognized the warm dark eyes looking down at me, startled.

"Raf!" I whispered as I tucked my wand away, "What're you doing? I could've hexed you into next week!"

He grinned sheepishly, "I wanted to see you. We haven't gotten any alone time since the night we started dating."

I felt myself grinning goofily, "How'd you find me?"

"Sirius and Remus helped me out with that. I was sneaking to your common room when Remus caught me on his rounds and Sirius talked him into letting me go to see you. I dunno how he knew where you were, but he ran into the dorm and popped out a minute later telling me exactly where to go as long as—," he broke off, blushing.

"Oh, Merlin, what did Sirius make you do?"

"He…I don't want you to think that I want to do it tonight, but he made me promise to use protection."

"Oh, well that's not too bad," Raf gave me an odd look, so I explained, "He has done so much worse. The time Peter went on his first date, Sirius shouted in that booming voice he has reminding Peter what the contraceptive charm was. Needless to say, Peter did not get so much as a kiss on the cheek that day."

Raf laughed, "I guess I should count myself lucky then."

I grinned and we walked to a window seat nearby. He sat with his back to the wall and his feet up on the seat as I settled in between his legs, leaning my head against his shoulder.

We talked softly for a bit before I stretched myself up to brush my lips against his. He sighed and cupped my face with one hand before kissing me more forcefully. We kissed a few more times before I gently nipped his lip encouragingly. He got the idea and slid his tongue into my open mouth. I levered myself up, settling my legs on either side of his as my hands wound into his hair. He broke away from my lips to wrap his arms tightly around my back and waist as his mouth trailed down to my neck, making me moan softly.

I considered moving my hips against him (I'd never ended up even sitting on my old boyfriend's lap, let alone grinding on him), but, before I could, Raf broke away murmuring apologies.

"What the hell are you apologizing for?" I muttered, moving in to kiss him again.

"Al," he said gently pushing me back to look in my eyes, "I—I really like you. I don't want to rush this. I mean, we aren't even sixteen yet. And I know this little doesn't seem like a lot to you what with Sirius Black being one of your best friends, but, really, there's no reason we can't go slower."

"I'm going to be sixteen in a couple of months, and you're not far off either," I protested weakly, but I was already sliding off of his lap and snuggling next to him.

He kissed my forehead and I grinned. Now that I was calming down a bit, I could see that he was right. I didn't want to go too far just yet. Not that I thought going a teensy bit farther would hurt either of us. In fact, I thought the exact opposite.

Not much later, he walked me up to my dorm and kissed me sweetly before bidding me goodnight.

I pushed into the common room and was greeted by Remus. The rest of the marauders were too interested in the magazine Sirius held.

"Haven't I told you all to look at your porn in your room?" I asked as I caught a glimpse of a scantily clad witch turning and posing.

"Al!" Sirius yelped, trying to stuff the magazine behind his back.

"You were gone quite a while," James said, trying to change the subject.

"Yes, I was making out with my real life boyfriend, not staring at some topless chicks in pictures."

"You only made out?" Sirius asked, "I thought for sure you'd get carried away and Raf would get farther."

I was silent and Remus grinned, "You were totally getting carried away and he stopped you, didn't he?"

I must've blushed because the boys started crowing, "Ohh he diiid didn't he?!"

"Shut up! Sirius is the group whore, so I can take things as slow as I want!" I cried throwing pillows at them.

"Well she has a point there," the aforementioned whore said agreeably.

I grinned and ran my fingers through his hair, "Thank you, Sirius."

"Of course, she'd be much less a virgin if Rafael let her—OW!" he broke off as I tugged sharply on his hair.

"Oh, my bad. I completely forgot that hair pulling is a turn-off of yours," I said innocently with a mischievous grin.

He rubbed his scalp and yanked me into his lap where he started tickling me mercilessly. I kicked and screamed, but he just covered my mouth and kept attacking me. He eventually let me collapse across his legs panting and glaring at his smug smirk.

"Bastard."

"Bitch."

"Whore."

"Prude."

"We're barely fifth years. I don't think I can be a prude just yet."

"Sure you can."

"Remus?"

"Maybe if she had dated a lot, but she's only on her second."

"Fine."

I grinned at him lazily, already getting warm and sleepy from being curled up on his lap.

"If you're tired, go to bed," Sirius said in a stern voice, though his face was anything but.

"I just spent hours after hours of doing homework. I don't wanna go to bed just yet," I muttered grumpily.

"Two sugar quills says she's asleep before Remus finishes his chapter," Sirius told the boys.

"I'll take you on, Pads," Remus said, grinning, "I've only got two pages."

"I stand by my bet."

Remus grinned without looking up from his page, his eyes darting from line to line. Sirius ran his finger through my hair gently. James watched in amusement as my eyelids started to flutter. I groaned.

"Pads, don' wanna go sleep," I mumbled.

"But I want to win the bet, Bird."

"Don' call m' tha'" I said, wiggling to try and wake myself up.

"You shouldn't have worked so late on homework," Peter giggled, "It always puts you to sleep."

I thought about replying, but I just made some kind of disgruntled moan instead.

"What are you going to do with her if she falls asleep, Padfoot?" James asked, "She's not going to wake up easily."

"Dunno," Sirius's voice sounded very far away, "I'll figure something out,"

I forced my eyes to flutter open, even as they felt like they were crossing and spasming. It felt like forever before Remus said, "Done!"

Sirius groaned and pushed me off his lap. I didn't move, my eyes finally closing. A foot kicked me gently. I ignored it. Another foot nudged me, then a hand shook me. I curled smaller into a ball.

"This is your fault, Sirius," I heard a reproving voice say from somewhere distant.

"Whatever, let's just leave her here."

"Why can't leave her here," another voice squeaked.

"Why not? She can—and will—sleep anywhere."

"Mate, it's your fault. Either find a way to wake her up, or heave her to our room."

"James, she's heavy _and_ a heavy sleeper!"

"Not my problem."

The louder voice sighed and someone warm knelt beside me, placing a solid hand on my arm, "Al. Alchemy. Come on, get up." I whined. The voice laughed, "C'mon, sweetheart, people talk too much if you sleep in our room too often. It'll be bad for your reputation."

I snorted.

"I'm impressed she's still awake after we pulled all-nighters _and_ she was up half the night doing homework."

The hand on my arm shook me forcefully, "If you don't get up I'm going to get Manky to put peas in all of your food." I made a fussy sound. Sirius laughed as he helped me stand and walked me to the stairs. "There you go, Bird, see you in the morning."


End file.
